August 2016 - Week 1

Nerves get better of Everton in WSL 2 title race
1 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Toffees are pegged back by Sheffield
Captain Michelle Hinnigan felt nerves got the better of Everton as they lost ground in the promotion race at the top of the FA Women’s Super League 2 table. The Toffees took the lead against Sheffield on 20 minutes through Millie Turner, but we pegged back shortly after half-time with a Hannah Dale goal.
The result leaves third-placed Everton five points behind Yeovil Town with seven games remaining.
Hinnigan said: “It’s disappointing. We knew going into the game that we needed the three points.
“We took the lead in the first half but we didn’t capitalise on that and score more.
“We’re disappointed with ourselves and we know that’s a massive two points dropped.
“We could say we were unlucky but Sheffield had their chances as well. It wasn’t working from the go.
“That could be down to nerves, we’re devastated with the result. “We knew they were going to come out firing in the second half and that’s what they did. “Their goal was a massive sucker punch as it came so soon after the restart. We were looking to add a second but then they struck and pulled level.
Michelle Hinnigan of Everton Ladies in action “We now need to focus on the next game and make sure we can get the three points.” The deadlock was broken when Millie Turner rose above her marker to head home Hinnigan’s corner. Sheffield responded well to going behind and created two chances of their own shortly afterwards. First, Rhema Lord-Mears fired narrowly wide before Jodie Michalska was denied by Kirstie Levell. After the break the visitors drew level in the 48th minute when a flowing move resulted in Dale slotting home from 10 yards out. Following the equaliser, both sides pushed for a winner. Claudia Walker saw her shot fly agonisingly wide of Juliana Draycott’s goal, while at the other end Michalska could not get a clean connection on the ball from a few yards out. Chloe Dixon then dragged a shot inches wide before Carla Ward headed off the line to deny Megan Finnigan as the two sides shared the points. Dale said: “I don’t think we performed our best in the first half, but we came in and regrouped before we sorted it out in the second half and got a point.
“I couldn’t really see prior to my goal because of the low sun! The ball came over the defender’s head, I controlled it and placed it in the back of the net. “We’re unbeaten in six games now. We’re taking each game as it comes, every week is a new week and now we focus on the next game now. “We’ve got games in hand on teams around us but we’re not getting too carried away. “We want to get as much out of the games as possible, as well as the cup competition.”

Everton transfer rumours: Blues linked with £9m Fonte move
1 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Joe Rimmer
A round-up of transfer rumours and speculation from around the web
It's set to be a busy week ahead for Everton boss Ronald Koeman in the transfer market.
Don't take it from us, that's according to his brother, Erwin. And defence is a priority for Koeman, who is keen on sorting out a back four which consistently struggled under old boss Roberto Martinez.
And one player linked is Koeman's former Southampton captain Jose Fonte. The 32-year-old Portuguese centre-back is today said to be a £9m target for Koeman, who is busy looking for defensive reinforcements for his Everton team. According to the Daily Record, no formal communications are said to have taken place between Southampton and the Blues, but it’s reported that a small complication could come in the form of Jose Mourinho. That’s right, the Man United boss is said to be an admirer of Fonte, having been impressed with his performances in the European Championships as Portugal picked up an unlikely victory. Another centre-back interesting Koeman is Ashley Williams. The Swansea City skipper is a £10m target for the Blues boss - but no contact has yet been made with the Welsh club.
And finally, Chelsea are said to have made a £68m offer for Romelu Lukaku as they seek a replacement for Diego Costa. Costa is expected to leave the club this summer and new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is said to be keen on a move for ex-striker Lukaku. Everton are said to have put a £75m price-tag on Lukaku's head, a man signed for £28m just two seasons ago.

Why Everton must prioritise defensive signings between now and start of season
1 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Ronald Koeman wants to strengthen many areas but backline needs most work
Ask a different Evertonian, get a different answer.
Because such is the need for Ronald Koeman to strengthen in many areas of his squad that each fan will have their own priority. Everton’s only signing of the summer so far is goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg but the understanding is that Koeman is still searching for a No1. The Blues’ squad is top heavy with right wingers but lacking options on the left. Their central midfield is packed but Koeman is unsure it is filled with enough quality and upfront, Romelu Lukaku is Everton’s star striker yet he badly needs a support cast around him. But with 12 days to go until Spurs head for Goodison, with John Stones’ future decidedly uncertain, with Phil Jagielka nursing a hamstring problem and Matthew Pennington picking up an injury in Dresden, surely defence has to be Koeman’s focus between now and the start of the season? The idea that Everton could kick-off on August 13, against Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Vincent Janssen and co without Stones and Jagielka is enough to bring Blues fans out in a cold sweat.
Ramiro Funes Mori had an inconsistent first season in England and has yet to convince in pre-season while Brendan Galloway and Mason Holgate are learning their trade as top flight centre-halves.
Kalidou Koulibaly, Ashley Williams and Jose Fonte are all under consideration as the new Everton boss looks to add power and presence to his backline. A backline, lest we forget, that last season was amongst the most leakiest in the division. Only Bournemouth and relegated Aston Villa conceded more goals at home in the league. Everton have conceded 105 goals in the last two Premier League seasons.
Sure, they must find themselves a long-term first choice goalkeeper but whoever it ends up being, he needs protecting. And age doesn’t appear to be an issue for Koeman. Fonte, 32, and Williams, 32 later this month, are experienced and proven in the Premier League. Both also enjoyed excellent Euro 2016 campaigns and are sure to add a steel and reliability to a defence that needs it. Between now and the opening game, surely this has to be Everton’s priority?

'I'd take both' - Everton fans react to Fonte and Williams links
1 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Chris Beesley
Blues keen despite reservations over cost
Evertonians have been reacting on social media to reports that the Blues are in for veteran defensive duo Jose Fonte and Ashley Williams. Although many would welcome the pair to Goodison Park, there are reservations among some supporters of the kind of fees being mentioned for players in their 30s.
Late bloomer Fonte, who is a Southampton stalwart having made over 250 appearances for the Saints having joined them in January 2010 during their League One days is a dependable figure who Ronald Koeman knows well. Having failed to break into the Benfica side, he relaunched his career in England in 2008 with Crystal Palace and was almost 31 when he made his international debut for Portugal against Argentina in November 2014 but played in their Euro 2016 final success over France. Williams of Swansea City was also an impressive performer during the European Championships, captaining Wales on their way to reaching the semi-finals before finally succumbing to Fonte's Portugal.
Facebook
Gavin Jones: Yes him and Williams would sort our defence out it doesn’t matter the age of we get 3/4 good seasons out of them then it’s worth it.
Christopher Machenry: I’ve stopped believing anything until I see them in a blue shirt, that said he’s a leader and organiser just what we need.
Billy Cole: Id take any one atm.
John Johnson: These wont come unless they play simples.
Shane Boylan: Not at 32 for £9m.
Mike Griffith: All the moaners on here: have you thought that the players we would want and enquire about don’t want to come ?? No European footie etc too !! As for Ashley Williams , he has the best stats for defending crosses / blocks etc ...most goals we conceded last season were from crosses /corners !!
David Mills: Should we really be buying players of a certain age who don’t really have any sell on value but saying that I heard that Arsenal are willing to pay 15mil for Johnny Evans!
Max Retallack: Yes he’s a competent defender , but surely we can source a younger player whose just as good , especially considering the money involved ?
Callum Jones: We are still a laughing stock in the transfer market.
Everton interested in Ashley Williams - but no deal agreed yet
Twitter
    @LivEchoEFC fonte was outstanding for Portugal in the Euro final as was Williams throughout the tournament, I'd take both
    — Marc Kilroy (@Marc_Kilroy) 1 August 2016
    @LivEchoEFC both
    — MIchael Nutt (@damp_shropshire) 1 August 2016
    @LivEchoEFC Both
    — Beer Guzzler (@BeerGuzzler1973) 1 August 2016
    @LivEchoEFC neither
    — carl reid (@carlfisherking) 1 August 2016
    @LivEchoEFC @JoeRimmer88 both would walk into that everton team and both can actually defend!!!
    — spideyjonesy (@spideyjonesy) 1 August 2016
    @LivEchoEFC @philkecho Priority #1 should be to get any signing over the line to prove we're showing intent.
    — Andy Nulty (@AndyNulty) 1 August 2016
    @LivEchoEFC @SpursOfficial @philkecho need to sign someone give impetus cohesion to the squad. If Stones and Lukaku want to go sort it quick
    — Paul Hughes (@PhYozza72) 1 August 2016
    @LivEchoEFC @LivEchonews get williams in, he's no nonsense #leader
    — Karl kent (@Karlkent14) 31 July 2016
    Everton must add to the squad this week. Can't fall behind at the start of the season. Lost enough ground over last two years. #EFC
    — Ell Bretland (@EllBretland) 31 July 2016

Fonte v Williams - Everton transfer targets compared
1 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Neil Jones
Blues keen to add a centre back - how do the Southampton and Swansea skippers measure up?
Jose Fonte & Ashley Williams: Reported transfer targets for Everton
Recruiting at least one new centre back is key to Ronald Koeman’s ambitions for the new season, and this weekend has seen Everton linked with two more – Swansea City’s Ashley Williams and Jose Fonte of Southampton. Both are known quantities, Premier League regulars with a number of solid seasons under their belt. And with both players in their 30s, they would certainly represent a signing for the here and now. How, though, do their credentials stack up? We have taken a look...
Experience
As stated, both come with the stamp ‘Premier League proven’. Both have earned their corn in the lower leagues before making the step up to the top flight with distinction. Both are the ‘wrong’ side of 30 – Williams will be 32 later this month, Fonte turns 33 in December – which brings with it a fair amount of risk. Neither would be considered 'long term' captures. But both are consistent, reliable, dependable. They are rarely injured, they captain their respective clubs and they have impressed at both domestic and international level. Fonte stepped in impressively for Portugal at Euro 2016, playing every minute of the knockout stages as Fernando Santos’ side lifted the trophy. Williams made a sloppy start to the tournament personally, but still played a key role in Wales’ unlikely progression to the semi finals.
Price
While transfer fees this summer have rocketed, the numbers being suggested for both Williams and Fonte are rather more modest. Both, it seems, would cost around the £10m mark – a nod to their age more than anything. In comparison to Stones or Kalidou Koulibaly, also linked with Everton, that is small change. Williams is believed to earn around £40,000 a week at Swansea, and has two years left on his current contract – as does Fonte. Manchester United have been linked with Fonte, who has ties to Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes, while Arsenal have been touted regularly as potential suitors for Williams. Both, though, are understood to be open about the idea of moving on this summer.
Ashley Williams of Wales celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2016 quarter final match between Wales and Belgium at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on July 1, 2016 in Lille, France. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
Style
Koeman, of course, knows Fonte well having managed him for the past two seasons. The Portugal man missed just three league games in that time, and was the central figure in one of the Premier League’s meanest defences.
Indeed, only Arsenal and Manchester United have conceded fewer Premier League goals since the start of the 2014/15 campaign.
Williams, too, is an authoritative presence. Smaller than Fonte by a couple of inches, he relies more on athleticism than height, and is more known for his ability to start attacks from the back – though that is in part due to Swansea’s style of play. The Welsh side struggled at times last season, but still conceded three fewer goals than Everton. Both Fonte and Williams do the basics well – tackling, heading, blocking. Both are good talkers and accept responsibility within their respective teams. Both are what you would term “reliable” centre backs rather than “spectacular” ones. And that is no bad thing at all.
Ashley Williams of Swansea City controls the ball under pressure of Jordan Ayew of Aston Villa during the Barclays Premier League match between Swansea City and Aston Villa at Liberty Stadium on March 19, 2016 in Swansea, United Kingdom. (Photo by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)
What the stats say...
A comparison between the two makes for interesting reading.
Going off last season (and using Squawka’s ‘per 90’ metric), we see that Williams comes out on top in terms of interceptions (2.8 per 90 minutes to 2.33), blocks (1.23 to 0.91), clearances (9.09 to 6.65) and tackles won (1.49 to 0.97). Now that may have something to do with the fact that Swansea, who spent the campaign in the bottom half of the table, needed to do more defending than Southampton, who qualified for Europe, but it is telling that, in the past two seasons, only Laurent Koscielny has made more interceptions than Williams in the Premier League....and Fonte is third on that list.
Aerially, Fonte’s figures are hugely impressive. He won almost 68% of his duels at a rate of 2.53 per 90 minutes, with Williams winning just over 57% at 2.03 per 90. How Everton could use a truly dominant header of the ball. What about in possession, then? Well Williams’ reputation is as a ball player, and the numbers bear this out. He completed more passes per 90 minutes than Fonte (44.43 to 37.5) and had a slightly better completion rate. Interestingly, though, given Koeman’s stated desire to get the ball forwards more quickly, Williams sent an average of 41.23 passes per 90 minutes forwards, with an average pass length of 23.11m. John Stones’ figures, by way of comparison, were 35.92 forward passes per 90 minutes and an average length of 21.67m – Fonte’s were 35.48 per 90 minutes at an average length of 22m. Suitable, then? Certainly in terms of raw defensive statistics – although it should be pointed out that the much-maligned Stones won a greater percentage of his total duels than both last season. Over to you, Ronald....

Are Moyes and Fellaini set to be reunited for a third time at Sunderland?
1 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Neil Jones
Former Everton boss confirms interest in signing Manchester United midfielder
Everton's manager David Moyes shakes hands with goalscorer Marouane Fellaini after the final whistle.
He made him the most expensive signing in Everton’s history back in 2008. He made him one of his first signings when manager of Manchester United. So is David Moyes about to be reunited once more with Marouane Fellaini up at Sunderland? Moyes confirmed his interest in signing the Belgian at a press conference on Monday, his first since being confirmed as Sam Allardyce’s successor at the Stadium of Light last month. The new Black Cats boss has been linked with Fellaini and one-time Everton transfer target Adnan Januzaj, as he looks to make his mark on Wearside. “If any of those good players want to join me I’d be happy to have them,” Moyes told reporters. “They’re excellent players. We’re interested but I’m sure there’s a load of other clubs that are as well. "I'd love to have that level of player. Realistically, that's probably not going to happen.
Manchester United's Adnan Januzaj falls down
‘We’re interested in lots of good players. You have to have a realistic view. There’ll be some players we can attract just now and some players we can’t. “We’ll try and get the ones we can and the ones who want to come here and start on the new journey we’re on.” Fellaini was signed by Moyes for Everton in a £15m deal from Standard Liege, and went on to make 177 appearances for the Blues, scoring 33 goals.
He left in acrimonious circumstances five years later, with Moyes heavily criticised by supporters for his conduct in pursuing both the Belgian and Goodison teammate Leighton Baines.
Fellaini cost Manchester United £27.5m, and has made 86 appearances despite failing to win over a large portion of their supporters. Everton travel to Sunderland in their fourth game of the new Premier League season, taking on the Wearsiders on Monday 12 September.

'Do an Everton' - Moyes wants Sunderland to emulate Blues
1 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Chris Beesley
Former Everton boss looking to his old club for inspiration after taking over at the Stadium of Light
David Moyes believes he can “do an Everton ” at “big club” Sunderland after being officially unveiled as the Black Cats' new manager. The 53-year-old Scot replaces Sam Allardyce, who departed the Stadium of Light to become England boss, in what is his first job since being sacked as coach of Real Sociedad in November last year. Moyes, who departed the Blues after over 11 years in charge to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013, likened the position he inherits at Sunderland to the one he walked into at Goodison Park. He said: “Sunderland is a big club and we need to make progress up the league and compete where we should be competing. “At the start we may have to win a few ugly but as we go along I hope it will become more exciting. “This has got to be a building job. Hopefully I’m here for four years and I’ll try and bring a level of stability to the club. “This reminds me a little bit of Everton when I took over. Everton had been in the bottom six, I think, four out of the five years before I came in.
“In my last eight years I never finished outside the top eight. Hopefully we can do a bit of an Everton.”
David Moyes on being appointed Everton manager in March 2002 Photocall ©Mirrorpix
Moyes earned a reputation for generally being a shrewd operator in the transfer market during his time at the Blues but with Sunderland yet to make a signing so far this summer, he admits that player recruitment is now a more complicated process. He said: “You’ve got to give us a wee bit of grace on that. It does take a bit of time, but we’ll make it work. We’ll get signings in. “I am confident because if you look at the transfers we had at Everton I think we had the best transfer record of any club anywhere in the Premier League. “I hope to somehow replicate that in my time at Sunderland. Can I do that right away? No. “It’s not as easy now as it was before. You’re not going to change it in one transfer window and if we are a bit late in the transfer window we’ll do the best we can. “What we want to try and do is get the right players at the right price, like we did in the early days (at Everton). Players who we think can go the journey with us.”

Everton youngster Tom Davies set for new long-term deal
1 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Teenage midfielder is expected to agree fresh terms after first-team breakthrough last season
Tom Davies is set to agree a new long-term deal with Everton.
The ECHO understands that the teenager has been holding talks over an extension to his current deal, which are set to reach a successful conclusion. Davies broke into the first-team last season and produced a man-of-the-match display against Norwich City. The 18-year-old is now considered a full-time member of the first-team set-up and has been involved in all of Everton’s friendly games so far this summer. Davies made his debut against Southampton in April before playing the full 90 minutes against Norwich on the final day of the season. The West Derby midfielder is expected to be in the squad for Wednesday night’s friendly with Manchester United and is then expected to put pen to paper on the deal later this week. Davies will join Kieran Dowell and Callum Connolly in signing new long-term contracts with the club after making their senior debuts last season.

Everton transfer rumours: Gueye move hits snag, Blues swoop for Gunners goalkeeper?
1 Aug 2016
By Ian Doyle
Liverpool Echo
Everton fans growing a little perturbed at the lack of transfer incomings this season had better steel themselves.Because the rumour mill is suggesting their expected swoop for Aston Villa's Idrissa Gueye may not be as straightforward as first thought. New Aston Villa boss Roberto di Matteo stated last week that Everton had triggered the 26-year-old Senegal international's release clause of £7.1million.Deal done then?Not quite.Marseille, for a start, are said to have also met the asking price for the defensive midfielder.And now it is widely reported West Ham United are also poised to swoop for Gueye, who it's anticipated will have left Villa Park by the time the Championship season starts this weekend.
Ronald Koeman may have brought in one goalkeeper this summer but it's no secret he quite fancies another shot-stopper on the books before the transfer window slams shut (it's never, ever gently put-to) at the end of the month.That custodian, then, could be Wojciech Szczesny, who no matter how many times you report on his career still requires the spelling of his name to be double-checked. The Poland international spent last season on loan at Roma and has already agreed to another term at the Serie A side.But now it's claimed Everton are pondering whether to hijack that deal and bring the 26-year-old to Goodison on a temporary basis for the campaign – and make him the club's number one cat.Purr-fect? We'll see.And yes, we really did just make that pun.

Everton close in on £10m Ashley Williams signing from Swansea City
1 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Ian Doyle
Blues expected to tie up deal for Wales international centre-back in next 48 hours
Ashley Williams impressed for Wales during Euro 2016 - and is now bound for Goodison
Everton are closing in on the £10million capture of Swansea City skipper Ashley Williams.
Sources in South Wales have indicated the centre-back expects to complete a move to Goodison inside the next 48 hours. Blues boss Ronald Koeman is in the market for defensive reinforcements this summer, with his search having intensified given the continued interest in John Stones from Manchester City. And it seems Williams, who is 32 later this month, is now ready to make the switch to Merseyside from the Liberty Stadium. Koeman is acutely aware Stones, Phil Jagielka and Ramiro Funes Mori are the only senior centre-backs currently on the books at Everton. And the Dutchman also acknowledges the need to strengthen a backline that proved worryingly leaky during last season's disappointing campaign under the sacked Roberto Martinez. Williams' stock has never been higher after skippering Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 a month ago, scoring in the quarter-final win over Belgium. Martinez actually brought the defender to Swansea in March 2008 for just £300,000, with Williams - who has two years left remaining on his present deal at the Swans - having since represented the club more than 350 times and helped them win promotion to the Premier League in 2011 and the League Cup two years later.
And Williams is unlikely to be Everton's only defensive signing with Stones edging ever close a move to Manchester City. City had a £40m bid for the England international rejected last week with Everton steadfastly holding out for £50m, with the player having already informed Koeman of his desire to leave.
Portugal's Euro 2016 winner Jose Fonte, of Koeman's former club Southampton, and Napoli's Senegalese stopper Kalidou Koulibaly are also being considered by the Blues.

Swansea City skipper Ashley Williams poised to sign £10 million deal with Everton
By South Wales Evening Post August 01, 2016
By David Higgs
SWANSEA City legend Ashley Williams is on the verge of joining Everton.
The 31-year-old looks set to complete a £10 million switch to Goodison Park this week, in a move that will stun Swansea fans. It is understood Swansea's money men wanted him to stay at the Liberty, but the club captain is thought to be keen to join Ronald Koeman's outfit as he pursues a fresh challenge.
Williams's expected departure — the deal could be concluded as early as tomorrow — will bring an end to a career in South Wales which has seen the Wales skipper become entrenched as an all-time Swansea great. He joined the club from Stockport in 2008 in a £400,000 deal, then forged a formidable partnership with Garry Monk as Swansea clinched promotion to the Premier League in 2011.
In the past five years he has proved himself one of the most consistent central defenders in the top flight, barely missing a match and establishing himself as the lynchpin around which successive managers have built their teams around. But it seems Francesco Guidolin is resigned to losing his skipper with the new season just 11 days away. New Everton boss Ronald Koeman — who looks set to lose John Stones to Manchester City in a £50 million deal — had identified Williams as one of his top targets to replace the England man. Williams's reliability — allied to his performances in leading Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 this summer — convinced him that the Swansea star was his man.
Williams's departure is the latest setback in a troubled transfer window for Swansea.
They missed out on the signing of Wales star Joe Allen, who moved to Stoke, while Swansea also remain without a specialist senior striker following the sale of Alberto Paloschi and Bafetimbi Gomis's loan to Marseille. Attempts to replace the duo — the likes of Fernando Llorente and Leonardo Ulloa have been linked — have so far come to nothing.

Everton boss Ronald Koeman to be reunited with Zlatan Ibrahimovic
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Blues face Man United in Wayne Rooney testimonial tomorrow night
Ronald Koeman and Zlatan Ibrahimovic during their time together at Ajax
Zlatan Ibrahimovic had only joined Ajax that summer but by late November 2001 he was struggling to get in the team. But the Swedish striker’s career was given a shot in the arm when the Dutch club sacked Co Adriaanse and replaced him with Ronald Koeman. Ibrahimovic was given the backing of the new manager and helped fire Ajax to the Eredivisie title.
He never looked back.
Five goals in the following season’s Champions League ensured Zlatan was becoming one of the most sought after young strikers in Europe under the guidance of Koeman.
“He is terrific,” was Ibrahimovic’s reaction to their first few training sessions.
“We were taking free-kicks and after a while he stepped in and blasted some home.
“Talk about respect, he has only been here for two days and you can see that he gets on really well with the lads. “It already feels much better.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his first outing for Manchester United last week
Tomorrow night, the pair are set to be reunited but on opposing sides as Everton travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in Wayne Rooney’s testimonial. Not many managers have been able to tame Ibrahimovic in a way Koeman - and United boss Jose Mourinho - have done and it is believed there has remained a lasting respect between the pair. Under Koeman, Ajax won another Eredivise title in 2004 and the Dutch legend was determined to keep the talented forward as the focal point of his team.
But there was a simmering feud between Koeman and technical director Louis van Gaal as the pair clashed over a perceived interference in team matters from the latter. One story suggests that van Gaal tried to insist that Ibrahimovic was only used in Champions League matches because the domestic games were too easy for him. “Koeman went mad. He was furious with Van Gaal,” said Ibrahimovic.
“He felt that his hands were tied and limited his chances to fight for me.”
Their relationship deteriorated when Zlatan was sold to Juve.
“I liked Koeman, but I couldn’t cope with Van Gaal,” the striker wrote in his autobiography.
Although for 90 minutes at least, their friendship will be put aside.

Everton transfer rumours: Portuguese duo interesting Everton
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Joe Rimmer
A round-up of transfer rumours and speculation from around the web
Could Ronald Koeman's busy week get even busier?
Not only are Everton close to tying up a deal for Swansea defender Ashley Williams , but according to Portuguese newspaper Record, the Blues have joined the race to sign Sporting Lisbon duo William Carvalho and Adrien Silva. Both men were a part of Portugal's Euro 2016 winning squad, and both men have represented their country at every age group. Carvalho has garnered a big reputation as a dominant central midfielder, and has been linked with all of the Premier League's top clubs in the past.
Silva meanwhile, has scored 27 goals in 140 games for Sporting, the 27-year-old is rated highly for his passing ability. Elsewhere today and Chelsea continue their charm offensive when it comes to Romelu Lukaku. Under a headline of ‘Now or never for Lukaku deal’ The Times write that Chelsea have told Everton that their next bid will be a ‘take it or leave it’ offer. They say the London club will demand a discount on the deal due to outstanding payments owed by Everton in the £28m deal to take Lukaku to Goodison Park.. They then go on to write ‘Chelsea have been angered by Atletico’s very public pursuit of Costa...’ Pot, kettle and black come to mind, anyone? And finally, Juventus are said to have made their move for Axel Witsel. The Belgium midfielder is a target for Everton, but Italian press say Juve have made a £19m offer for the midfielder.

Wayne Rooney's Everton team-mates and coaches to attend Old Trafford testimonial
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Blues head for Manchester United's Old Trafford home tomorrow night
Wayne Rooney during his Everton days
A host of Wayne Rooney’s former Everton team-mates, coaches and support staff will be at Old Trafford tomorrow night to watch his testimonial game. Boyhood Blue Rooney moved to Manchester United in 2004 and requested to face his old club in the friendly that will celebrate his career. Everton’s trip along the East Lancs will kick-start a year of fundraising events by the Wayne Rooney Foundation which aims to raising £5 million for disadvantaged and vulnerable children. Proceeds from the game and the year-long charity drive will be donated equally between the NSPCC, Claire House Children‘s Hospice, Alder Hey Children‘s Hospital and the Manchester United Foundation. Rooney rose through the Academy ranks at Everton before making his first-team debut in 2002 and scored 17 times before moving to Man United two years later.
Wayne Rooney playing for England
Steven Beck played with Rooney when the pair were emerging talents at Goodison and now works alongside the England skipper in his role as head of agency services with Triple S Sports and Entertainment Group, one of the leading agencies in the industry. The company’s managing director Paul Stretford has managed Rooney from the start of his professional career. Beck, who was part of the Everton side which reached the FA Youth Cup in 2002, knew Rooney was always destined for greatness, saying: “I believed he would go and play at the very top and go on and play for England.
Wayne Rooney of Manchester United in action at Goodison in October 2015 “He was an unbelievable talent, worked harder than anyone at the club and has had a great management team around him who still look after him to this day.” Rooney returned to Goodison last season to play in Duncan Ferguson’s testimonial game with Villarreal where he was given a warm reception from Blues fans. And it is now expected that many of his old team-mates and coaches will be in attendance tomorrow night (8pm).

Everton were the only opponents for Wayne Rooney says Gibson
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Chris Beesley
Blues midfielder looking forward to facing his pal in testimonial
Everton midfielder Darron Gibson is looking forward to locking horns with his big pal Wayne Rooney in the Manchester United captain’s testimonial and reckons that the Blues were the former Goodison idol’s only choice as potential opponents. Rooney, who departed Everton for United 12 years ago while still only 18, pulled on a royal blue jersey for the first time in over a decade last summer to make a cameo appearance alongside former strike partner Duncan Ferguson in his Goodison testimonial.
Now England’s record goalscorer will tackle his first football love in the charity benefit match at Old Trafford as Ronald Koeman’s side play their penultimate pre-season game.
Republic of Ireland international Gibson, who played alongside Rooney during his own time coming through the ranks with the Red Devils, said: “It’s unbelievable that he has been given a testimonial. It shows how good a player he is, being at Manchester United for [over] 10 years.
“It is great that he wants to play against us, but I am sure Everton were the only choice for Wayne. It will be a good day for him.” Gibson recalls witnessing first hand the special qualities the teenage Rooney brought when Sir Alex Ferguson snapped him up for £25.6million. He said: “You could tell how special he was straight away. “I had seen him on TV but to see him up close in training and then start playing with him, you realise that the boy is a bit special. “It makes me feel old that he is getting a testimonial – and he is two years older than me! But I am delighted for him. He deserves it.”

Confirmed: Everton's Idrissa Gueye deal edging closer
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Everton target Idrissa Gueye at Finch Farm as Aston Villa switch imminent
Everton are today closing in on the capture of Idrissa Gueye from Aston Villa.
The Blues triggered the midfielder’s £7.1m release clause and the 26-year-old is at Finch Farm today to hold talks over the move. Ronald Koeman has been keen to bolster his midfield options this summer and the club identified the Villa man.
Gueye has drawn comparisons with N'Golo Kante who this summer joined Chelsea
It is believed he has signed a four-year deal with the option of an extra 12 months and will wear the number 17 shirt at Goodison. Gueye is also expected to play for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations between January and February next year. The energetic midfielder has drawn comparisons to Chelsea’s dynamo N’Golo Kante who played a pivotal role in Leicester City’s Premier League title win last season.
Idrissa Gueye v N'Golo Kante: How does Everton target compare to Prem's top dog?
It is believed that Everton were one of a number of clubs keen on the former Lille man but the Blues have moved quickly to progress the deal after meeting his buy-out-clause at Villa Park.
Villa paid in the region of £9m for Gueye last summer but were relegated and the player was keen to remain in the top flight. Gueye is in line for a long-term deal at Goodison and should the deal be completed then he will become Everton’s second signing of the summer following the acquisition of Maarten Stekelenburg. Everton are also hopeful of tying up a deal for Swansea City captain Ashley Williams in a £10m deal.

Everton sign Idrissa Gueye from Aston Villa for £7.1m on four-year deal
• Midfielder is Ronald Koeman’s first outfield signing
• Everton triggered Gueye’s buyout clause at Villa
Tuesday 2 August 2016 Guardian
Ronald Koeman has signed his first outfield player as Everton manager after Idrissa Gueye joined from Aston Villa. Everton triggered the Senegal midfielder’s £7.1m buyout clause last week and the 26-year-old has agreed a four-year deal. Gueye is Koeman’s second signing since he took over from the sacked Roberto Martínez in mid-June, the goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg having joined from Fulham.
“Idrissa will provide quality in our squad in the midfield and we want to increase the quality in the team,” Koeman said. “He was one of the players last season with the best record in interceptions and pressing in the midfield. We need this kind of quality and I’m happy to have him joining our club.”
Gueye was second only to Leicester’s Premier League-winning midfielder N’Golo Kanté in terms of the number of combined interceptions and tackles made across Europe’s top five leagues. He moved to Villa from Lille last summer and made 38 appearances in all competitions as Villa were relegated from the Premier League. “I am very happy to be here at Everton and I am very happy and excited to put on the blue shirt to start the new season here,” he said. “Everton is a big team with big players and great fans. The manager told me he is very happy to have me here and that we will have time to talk about football after. I am a defensive midfield player and I like making passes and also getting forward. I have played a season with Aston Villa which was a hard season but I think my style is good for the Premier League.”
Koeman is looking to advance his transfer dealings before the start of the new campaign with the Wales captain, Ashley Williams, understood to be on the verge of a £10m move from Swansea.

Villa midfielder Idrissa Gana completes Everton switch
Midfielder Idrissa Gana has completed his move from Villa to Everton.
August 2 2016 Express & Star
The 26-year-old Senegal international, who joined Villa from Lille in a deal worth around £9million last summer, has signed a four-year deal at Goodison Park. His exit from Villa Park had been inevitable from the moment the Toffees triggered a £7.1million relegation release clause in his contract. West Ham were also understood to be interested in his services but Everton moved quickly to complete a deal.
Gana played 38 times for Villa last season but was unable to prevent their exit from the Premier League.
He said: “I have played a season with Aston Villa which was a hard season but I think my style is good for the Premier League. “You have to fight every game. All the teams are strong and you have to concentrate all through the game.” Gana’s exit may not be the only one from Villa Park today, with Newcastle understood to have been on the brink of signing Ciaran Clark. The defender’s contract also contains a release clause, thought to be around £5million, which the Magpies have activated.

Koeman explains Idrissa Gueye's Everton switch and reasons for £7.1m swoop
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Idrissa Gueye will bring better interceptions to Everton midfield according to Koeman
New Everton signing Idrissa Gueye poses for a photo at Finch Farm
Ronald Koeman has revealed that Idrissa Gueye's record of interceptions was behind the decision to sign him. The 26-year-old has today put pen to paper on a four-year-deal after Everton triggered his £7.1m release clause. Koeman says the Senegal international brings "quality" to the Blues midfield and believes he will fit into his way of pressing at Goodison. Gueye had a stand-out season at Villa despite the Midlands club being relegated to the Championship and Koeman is thrilled to have secured the services of a man who drew telling comparisons to N'Golo Kante during Leicester City's title-winning season. Koeman said: “Idrissa will provide quality in our squad in the midfield and we want to increase the quality in the team. "He was one of the players last season with the best record in interceptions and pressing in the midfield. "We need this kind of quality and I’m happy to have him joining our club.”
Gueye, who will wear the No 17 shirt at Goodison, said: “I am very happy to be here at Everton and I am very happy and excited to put on the Blue shirt to start the new season here.
“Everton is a big team with big players and great fans. The manager told me he is very happy to have me here and that we will have time to talk about football after. “I am a defensive midfield player and I like making passes and also getting forward.
Romelu Lukaku of Everton and Idrissa Gueye tussle for the ball last term
“I have played a season with Aston Villa which was a hard season but I think my style is good for the Premier League. You have to fight every game. All the teams are strong and you have to concentrate all through the game. “Goodison Park is a very good stadium and the fans are very good, too. They push their team forward and I am excited to play there.”

How Everton new man Steve Walsh influenced signing of Idrissa Gueye
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Gueye put pen to paper on four year deal on Tuesday after Blues triggered buy-out clause
Steve Walsh held a transfer summit with Ronald Koeman at Finch Farm on the day of his appointment as Everton’s director of football. It was a meeting designed to help kick-start the Blues summer spending after a frustratingly slow start. Koeman had been looking for the players into inject quality all over the pitch but his pursuit of midfielders was proving tricky. But Walsh arrived at Goodison with an expert knowledge and understanding of the market. He suggested Everton make a move for Idrissa Gueye.
New Everton signing Idrissa Gueye poses for a photo at Finch Farm Koeman was already well aware of the Villa midfielder’s quality but with Walsh’s recommendation in tow, the pair agreed to press ahead.
Walsh was the man who threw his weight behind Leicester City parting with £5.5m to sign N’Golo Kante and it proved one of the steals of the summer. The France international was the engine room in Leicester City’s remarkable Premier League title success and was sold to Chelsea last month for £30m.
The similarities between Kante and Gueye are stark .
And a stats comparison even shows Everton’s new boy to have enjoyed a better season in a number of key areas and only marginally behind in others, despite playing in a side that was relegated.
Idrissa Gueye Europa League action for Lille against Everton in 2014 Ligue 1, from where Gueye was signed by Villa, is a division Walsh knows like the back of his hand so with his conviction and Koeman’s experience, it was a very much a meeting of minds around the table at Everton’s training ground that day. Gueye made his first-team breakthrough at Lille in 2010 and helped them to title success the following season before leaving for Villa last summer. The Senegal international faced Everton twice last season, in 4-0 and 3-1 victories for the Blues, and also faced them on two occasions in the 2014-15 campaign.
Tony Hibbert of Everton and Idrissa Gueye of Lille chase the ball during the UEFA Europa League Group H match at Goodison Park on November 6, 2014 Roberto Martinez’s Everton were drawn in a Europa League group with Lille and Gueye played the full 90 minutes in both matches. Blues fans may not have noticed him at Goodison in November 2014 or last season when their team swept Lille and Villa aside.
But after signing a four-year-deal to become the second capture of the Koeman-era, they are set to see a lot more of him.

Everton braced as Chelsea step up efforts to sign Lukaku
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Stamford Bridge club confident they can cut a deal with Blues despite valuation
Chelsea are confident they can break Everton’s resolve and cut a deal for Romelu Lukaku.
But the Blues remain determined to keep hold of their top scorer who they now value at in excess of £70m. The ECHO understands that as part of the deal that saw Lukaku leave Chelsea for Everton in 2014 the Stamford Bridge club inserted a clause that gives them first refusal on the sale of the Belgium international. A bid of £57m was reportedly rejected by Everton over the weekend but there is growing speculation that Chelsea will return with a final offer of over £60m.
Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring for Chelsea against Malaysia during a friendly in July 21, 2013.
Ronald Koeman wants to keep hold of Lukaku and the Blues hope their price tag will prove a sufficient deterrent as they look to fend off interest in their top scorer. But Chelsea, who have been foiled in attempts to sign Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid, are refusing to give up on re-signing Lukaku and believe that they can agree a deal at a reduced price. It is believed that due to the structure of the deal that brought Lukaku to Goodison two summers ago, Chelsea are still due some of the £28m and are hoping to offset that against the Blues’ valuation. Koeman, however, does not want to lose Everton’s 25-goal man.

Everton transfer rumours: Remy offered in Lukaku deal, Mandzukic hunt on?
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Ian Doyle
A round-up of transfer rumours and speculation from around the web
Could this soon be a scene from an Everton training session?
Isn't football a bit weird at times?
Take the career of Romelu Lukaku .
Chelsea thought a lot of the Belgian, so they spent big to bring him from Anderlecht as a youngster.
Then they barely played him. And when the striker did appear, he wasn't that great.
So the Londoners sent him on loan to West Brom, then Everton, and finally let him go to Goodison permanently for megabucks. But having seen the forward do well at Goodison, now Chelsea want him back. And having danced around the big man all summer, now the Daily Telegraph is reporting the Stamford Bridge side will throw in Loic Remy to help get the deal done. Remy is valued at around £10million, with Lukaku about £60m.
Not sure what Everton will make of that. Nice try, though.
Even if Lukaku stays – which, let's be honest here, is unlikely – Everton are still poised to be a striker light with Oumar Niasse clearly given the biggest indication yet that he isn't wanted by not even being given a squad number for next season.
Take the hint, son.
That, then, is enough for Italian media outlet CalcioMercato to suggest the Blues are among several teams tracking Croatia star Mario Mandzukic . The much-travelled forward, who also recently starred for Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, scored 10 goals in 27 appearances for Juventus last season.

Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, former club Bayern and Barcelona are said to be pondering a move, a list which does smell a little bit fishy, truth be told. Fully expect Mandzukic to get a pay rise at Juve instead.

Swansea City sensationally reject Everton's £10m offer for skipper Ashley Williams
By South Wales Evening Post August 02, 2016
By David Higgs
Everton Manager Ronald Koeman's bid for Swans skipper Ashley Williams has been turned down.
ASHLEY Williams' proposed move to Everton is on the rocks after the Toffees' £10 million offer for the 31-year-old was rejected by Swansea City. A deal to take the Wales captain to Goodison looked to be all but secure, but in a dramatic twist of events, the Swans have blocked the deal by formally rejecting the bid. The deal was expected to be finalised on Wednesday but it has since emerged that Swansea have moved to bat away the bid, with the club stressing they have never looked to sell one of their most vital players. A Swansea spokesman said: "Ashley Williams is an important part of our squad and club and we are not looking to sell him, and therefore we have turned down the offer currently on the table."
Swans boss Francesco Guidolin had been known to have been keen on having Williams – who captained Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 last month – in his plans for the new campaign that kicks-off in less than two weeks time. It is not known if Everton will up their bid or Williams will push to make the deal happen, but currently the Swans look determined to hold on to their skipper, who has been with the club since 2008. The development is certain to hearten Swans on a day that saw key midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson sign a new deal to remain at the Liberty for another four years.

Everton move for Ashley Williams in balance as Swansea reject £10m bid
2 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Blues told they must increase offer to persuade Welsh side to part with skipper
Swansea City are playing hardball over the prospective sale of Ashley Williams to Everton
Everton will have to raise their offer for Ashley Williams after Swansea City rejected a £10million bid.
The 31-year-old defender looked set to press ahead with a move to Goodison but the Swans have dug their heels in buy turning down the offer. Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins is a notoriously tough negotiator and though it was believed the club were resigned to losing their captain they have tonight put the brakes on the deal. Williams will now have to push for the move to Everton and the Blues new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri may have to back his manager by lodging an improved bid for the Wales skipper. But Moshiri will not be fazed by Swansea's response and has so far this summer gone back to Southampton and Leicester City with bigger bids in order to prise away Ronald Koeman and Steve Walsh respectively.

Ten Wayne Rooney Everton moments in Royal Blue
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Ahead of Wayne Rooney’s testimonial at Old Trafford tonight we take a wistful look back at his all too
Evertonians wanted more.
After a teenage tyro exploded onto their firmament in 2002, Blues fans who had endured seasons of doom, gloom and relegation battles found a standard bearer to pin their hopes onto. His name was Wayne Rooney and Blues believed he could carry them to trophies. They hoped the teenager could become a talisman for the millennium. And they dearly wanted the lifelong Blue to commit his career to the club in much the same way that another prodigiously talented star, Matthew Le Tissier, had done at Southampton. Instead, Rooney’s Everton ‘career’ lasted barely two seasons.

He made just 77 appearances, only 48 of them starts – and scored 17 goals.
But many of them were oh so memorable.
Here’s ten Wayne Rooney moments in Royal Blue.
Winning his Spurs
Rooney was 16. He hadn’t made his first team bow, but already people were talking about him. And in an FA Youth Cup semi-final at White Hart Lane he underlined why.
A free-kick from 30-yards taken by Rooney slammed into Spurs’ defensive wall, but the ball rebounded back to the taker. Rooney simply rifled the rebound, first-time, into the top corner. Six months later he’d be doing it in the Premier League.
My Granny could have scored them.
Everyone remembers Rooney’s first league goal – and not just because Clive Tyldesley ordered us to “Remember the name.” But his first Everton goals, two of them, came a fortnight earlier, in a League Cup tie at Wrexham.
They were tidy finishes, too, not that Wrexham boss Denis Smith was particularly impressed. “My granny could have scored them,” he said afterwards. Which begs the question, why was he playing Hector Sam and Lee Trundle up top rather than old Ma Smith?
Showboating
Rooney was still only 17 when he played matador to West Brom defender Darren Moore’s bull. Enticing the 15 stone, six feet square centre-back, he stood on the ball, put his hands on his hips, then slipped effortlessly away. The Gwladys Street roared their approval, while Moore said afterwards: “If I can pass one piece of advice I’d tell him to wipe out the arrogant side of his game. I wouldn’t advise him to do it again – otherwise he’ll learn the hard way.”
Once A Blue …
Ah the naivety of youth.
Way back in the spring of 2002 Rooney still boasted Everton stickers in the window of his Croxteth bedroom – and after scoring against Aston Villa in an FA Youth Cup final he decided to declare his Evertonian allegiance to a wider public.
He raised his Everton short to reveal a T-shirt with the slogan “Once a Blue, alway’s (sic) a Blue”.
Image 1 for 'Wayne Rooney's Everton FC career in pictures' gallery
Wayne Rooney shows that t-shirt
His punctuation wasn’t as accurate as his shooting. Neither were his predictions. Two years later he was a Manchester United player.
Remember the name
It was the moment Wayne Rooney’s talent was made public. It was his last chance to score a league goal for Everton as a 16-year-old, and he was facing an Arsenal team unbeaten for 31-matches. You know the rest ….
Rooney celebrates his wonder goal to help Everton beat Arsenal at Goodison in October 2002
51 years of Ell
Leeds United was a bogey ground for Everton. The most miserable of bogey grounds.
Everton hadn’t won a league game there for 51 years, but Rooney ended that run with a goal almost as spectacular as the one which had eclipsed Arsenal a fortnight earlier.
Image 6 for 'Wayne Rooney's Everton FC career in pictures' gallery
Another goal
Tony Hibbert could nominally claim the ‘assist’, although the magic was all Rooney’s. He turned past Eirik Bakke, sped wide of Lucas Radebe and clipped a right-footed shot back the way he had come, through Radebe’s legs and past Paul Robinson. Cue pandemonium.
First red card.
Rooney had only been on the pitch 15 minutes as a Boxing Day substitute at Birmingham City, when David Elleray seized his opportunity to make history. Rooney was dismissed for a foul on Steve Vickers which left the defender with eight stitches in an ankle wound, and the official with little choice but to show red.
David Moyes felt it was “a decent attempt to make a challenge” and asked Elleray to review video of the incident. He did, reluctantly, but didn’t change his mind.
Spot of bother
Seven of Wayne Rooney’s record breaking 53 England goals have come from the penalty spot.
But back in December 2002 the youngster hadn’t yet honed his penalty taking technique. He’d scored in a penalty shoot-out defeat of Newcastle in the previous round – Everton’s first senior shoot-out success for 32 years – but in a Worthington Cup fourth round tie at Stamford Bridge jumped on the opportunity to score from a spot-kick in normal time. He missed, but it hardly mattered as Chelsea won 4-1.
Boot boy
When Rooney’s move to Manchester United was imminent, and Evertonian ire was intense, the youngster was actually smuggled out of Bellefield in the boot of team-mate Alan Stubbs’ car!
Rooney and Stubbs remain close pals
The pair remain close. Rooney recently described the Everton centre-back as his “Jedi Master.”
Two together
Rooney’s only brace for the Blues came in an away match at Southampton in February 2004. It helped the Toffees to a 3-3 draw, but he would only score three more goals for the Blues before heading down the East Lancs Road.
All is forgiven?
Twelve years later Rooney was back at Goodison Park in a Royal Blue shirt for his idol Duncan ferguson’s tetsimonial. “The fans gave me a great reception, which I was delighted with,” Rooney said, adding that “it was great for my kids to see me once in that Everton shirt.”

Oumar Niasse: Where did it all go wrong?
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Luke Skinner
Luke Skinner investigates
Tuesday, August 2 and Everton's squad numbers for 2016/17 are announced.
Oumar Niasse, who wore the number 14 jersey on his fleeting appearances following a switch from Lokomotiv Moscow, was a glaring absentee. After just 152 minutes of first team football, Niasse appeared to be an ex-Evertonian.
But why did it go wrong so quickly?
Let's rewind to February 1.
The Senegalese striker had just signed a four-and-a-half year deal at the cost of £13.5 million, making him the third most expensive signing in Everton’s history. If you had heard of him, most probably wouldn’t believe you. Either that or they’d be shocked by your knowledge of the Russian League.
But a quick look at the striker’s season prior to joining Everton suggested he was in good nick.
Niasse managed 12 goals in 21 appearances - not a bad tally at all.
Then you look at the reality of the situation.
One team he scored against was called Amkar Perm. His record looked decent, but he was scoring goals against teams with names similar to hairstyles. The quality in Russia is simply just not there when comparing it to the intensity of the English League, which made it impossible to know what Niasse might bring.
Once he arrived people were optimistic.
Until they realised they would have to wait to get to see him in action. Oumar was suffering from a wrist injury, which surprised many why that would stop him playing, especially with the stellar performances of Jamie Vardy who was suffering from a similar problem.
Niasse was even quoted as saying he was fine to play, which left Evertonians bemused why they weren’t seeing him. He eventually made his debut in a 2-0 FA cup win at Bournemouth with just nine minutes left to play. To be honest, you couldn’t really judge any player in such a short amount of time.
Then came the Aston Villa game.
Everton were comfortably leading 3-0 after 60 minutes with cries from the away end, ‘Bring on Niasse.’
The fans understandably wanted to see what he was all about, and against such fragile opposition a great opportunity appeared to have presented itself.
The Senegalese striker came on after 88 minutes.
Once again, how could you judge him?
"No Oumar, you really are starting. I'm on the bench, take your glasses off." Photo by James Maloney
The following match against West Ham saw Niasse get his longest game time with an exciting 14 minutes to play. When I say ‘exciting’, I mean for West Ham who were 2-0 down when Niasse came on and somehow ended up winning the game 3-2.
The line ‘three strikes and you’re out’ came to mind.
The result saw Niasse already brutally tarnished in many minds, despite only having played 25 minutes in his Everton career so far. The eight matches that followed saw Niasse make two appearances, coming off the bench after 87 and 89 minutes. It raised the issue of what Niasse actually been showing in training.
Whatever was going on, he clearly was not happy.
Many times during his period at Everton Niasse was seen warming up alone, which made it appear that he was an isolated member of the group. Once Everton had lost the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United - a match in which Niasse doidn’t even feature on the subs bench - the season was virtually over. Former manager Roberto Martinez finally saw this as an opportunity to give Niasse game time, despite having already suggested it would be a bonus if the forward played again in the 2015/16 campaign. He actually started the next two games.
He played an hour against Bournemouth and at Leicester, and was lacklustre in both.
The verdict at this point was not hard to work out.
Many presumed an incoming manager at Everton would quickly see Niasse depart.
In came Ronald Koeman. But Niasse was still here and videos were circulating of the player making some tidy finishes in training.
People were wondering if this could perhaps be a fresh start for Niasse?
Then came the pre-season game against Jablonec.
Oumar Niasse in action with Michal Travnik of FK Jablonec during the pre-season friendly on July 16
A line of commentary on 55 minutes stated, “Oumar Niasse turns away from the Jablonec defender but then falls over.”
Arguably a quite neat summary of everything we’d seen of Niasse in an Everton shirt.
And so, with no squad number for 2016/17, the player’s time at Everton looks to be up.
In terms of the man himself it is difficult not to feel sorry for Oumar Niasse.
Yes his performances didn’t light up the world, but he didn’t sign himself for Everton, did he?
Once looked at by Jose Mourinho, Roberto Martinez believed Niasse could cope with the Premier League.
But quite simply, it just wasn’t meant to be.

Everton transfer rumours: Guardiola prioritising Stones after landing Sane
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Chris Beesley
New Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has set his sights on sealing a deal for Everton's John Stones after landing Leroy Sane says the Mirror. Mega bucks City – backed by Sheikh Mansour's billions – have so far baulked at topping up their offer for the England international to meet the Blues £50million asking price. However, with Sane's move from Schalke now completed, Guardiola wants club officials to press ahead with attempts to land the ball-playing centre-back who he rates as his number one target. The former Bayern Munich and Barcelona coach would like Stones to be a City player before they kick off their new Premier League season on August 13. Curiously, City's first opponents are Sunderland, now managed by David Moyes, who made Stones his final signing as Everton boss.
Everton have rejected City's previous £40million offer for the Yorkshireman – who has told Ronald Koeman that he wants to make the move – and insist that their valuation is met in full.
That stance is unlikely to soften given that the Blues have just had a £10million bid for Swansea City's Wales captain Ashley Williams rejected after a deal appeared to be close.
Everton, who would have to give 15% of any fee to Stones' former club Barnsley, have also thrown out City's attempts to offload Wilfried Bony as a makeweight in the deal.

Rodwell should have stayed at Everton says Moyes
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Chris Beesley
Ex-Blues boss admits midfielder made wrong move
Sunderland's Jack Rodwell
Jack Rodwell should have stayed at Everton – says the man who sold him to Manchester City, David Moyes. After both enduring chastening experiences down the M62, Rodwell at the Etihad, and Moyes and Old Trafford, the pair have been reunited at Sunderland where the Scot has taken up his first job since being sacked by Real Sociedad last season.
Moyes handed Rodwell his Blues debut as a 16-year-old – with Rodwell becoming the club’s youngest European debutant against AZ in December 2007 – and oversaw his rise to become a full England international. However in August 2012, Moyes decided to cash in on the talented but injury-riddled Southport-born ace, accepting a £12million offer when Manchester City came calling.
He now concedes that it might have been the wrong decision for the player and said: “He has probably never really found a level of consistency. “He had great potential as a boy, athleticism and was a very comfortable football player who could do a bit of everything. “Injuries haven’t helped him, but I also think that maybe going to Man City wasn’t the right move.”
Moyes added: “He made that move though, and I hoped that coming to Sunderland would maybe kick-start him. “Again, he has been held back by injuries, but he needs to show what he can do now.
“We can give them all clever words, but it is about the here and now.
“There needs to be a driven desire to become a better player and that he will to step on to overcome difficult situations.”

Where will Idrissa Gueye rank among Everton and Aston Villa heroes?
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Chris Beesley
Top 10 players ranked
Idrissa Gueye might be the first major signing of the Ronald Koeman era at Goodison Park but his move to the Blues is a well-trodden path with many players having turned out for both Everton and Aston Villa. Although the list won’t be added to this season following the Midlanders’ relegation, Everton v Villa is the most-played fixture in English top flight football with the clubs having met on 202 occasions.

Over this long period, these two founder members of the Football League have had numerous transfers between them but we’ve picked out – and ranked – the top 10. The prerequisite for the list it to have made a significant contribution to both clubs so while they’re Everton legends, the likes of Dave Hickson, Adrian Heath and Edwardian dual international sportsman Jack Sharp, who played both football and cricket for England are all left out as they only made a clutch of Villa appearances. Also missing the cut are the likes of David Ginola, who only played seven times in a royal blue jersey, Gareth Farrelly whose singular but decisive major moment for Everton was to score the goal that kept them up of the final day of the 1997/98 season and Goodison stalwart and now Under-21s manager David Unsworth who was at Villa for less than a month without playing a competitive match before heading back to the Blues for a second spell. What would be your ranking for a top 10 and who have we missed out? Bruce Rioch and Earl Barrett can probably consider themselves unfortunate to not be on the list but what about anyone else? Come and take a look...
#10 Steve McMahon
A young Steve McMahon celebrates with Bob Latchford while playing for Everton
This one will go down well!
Long before Reds players starting singing: “If anybody can, Macca can” on the Anfield Rap, Halewood-born McMahon was patrolling the Blues midfield. A former Goodison ball boy, who rose to become captain he ironically quit the club in search of major honours in 1983, the year before things took off under Howard Kendall. But while Everton went from strength to strength over the next couple of seasons, McMahon’s Villa were bogged down in mid-table. However, his individual displays were enough to convince Dalglish to bring him back to Merseyside in 1985 to fill the void left by Graeme Souness.
#9 John Gidman
John Gidman
Scouser Gidman was with Liverpool as a youth player but switch to Villa after failing to break into the Reds first team side. A 70s stalwart in the Midlands, he went on to make 243 appearances and was part of the 1977 League Cup-winning side against Everton. However after demanding improved terms in 1979, Ron Saunders allowed him to leave the club and he returned to Merseyside with the Blues in a £650,000 deal - which was big bucks at the time - with Pat Heard going in the opposite direction for £100,000. Gidman was a Goodison regular for two seasons, playing 78 games, but was shipped out to Manchester United in 1981 as new manager Howard Kendall looked to reshape his squad.
#8 Steve Watson
Everton's Steve Watson scores his hat-trick goal to put his team 4-0 up against Leeds United in 2003
Primarily another right-back, the genial Geordie was nevertheless one of the game’s genuine utility men, able to operate at a high level in several different positions. After eight years and over 200 appearances for local side Newcastle United, North Shields-born Watson joined Villa for £4million in October 1998.
Watson went on to play 54 times in claret and blue before Walter Smith brought him to Goodison for £2.5million in the summer of 2000. An injury crisis at Everton saw Watson deployed as an auxiliary striker on several occasions although he was actually operating on the right of midfield when he netted a hat-trick against Leeds United in September 2003. Watson would go on to play 137 times for the Blues before joining West Bromwich Albion in 2005.
#7 Richard Dunne
With over 600 career appearances and 80 Republic of Ireland caps, you wonder what kind of Everton career the Dubliner might have enjoyed if he’d not fallen foul of manager Smith.
Signed from Home Farm as a 15-year-old schoolboy, Dunne was playing for the Blues first team at 17 after being given his chance by Joe Royle, another ‘man child’ footballer in his day.
But following Royle’s departure, Dunne was punished by Smith for two separate disciplinary incidents and after a move to Wimbledon fell through, he was reunited with his former boss at Manchester City.

After 72 games for Everton, Dunne became a stalwart in sky blue, turning out 352 times in almost a decade of service before making a £5million switch to Villa in 2009 for whom he added over another century of appearances.
#6 Joleon Lescott
Everton would go on to benefit from arguably the best three years of Joleon Lescott's career from an individual standpoint Whatever Evertonians might think of Lescott now, he remains one of the Blues outstanding defenders of the Premier League era and while he went on to clinch major honours at Manchester City which he would see as vindicating his controversial transfer, from an individual point of view, Goodison Park witnessed the three best years of his career. After being extensively scouted by David Moyes, Lescott was bought as a centre-back but often filled in at left-back early on in his time at the Blues. He broke into the England team while at Everton and proved a potent goal threat too – netting 10 times in 2007/08.
Departing under a cloud for City in a £22million deal in 2009, he also had a season at West Brom in 2014/15 before joining his boyhood heroes Villa last summer.
Lescott’s first season at his home city ended with relegation though and he upset both the Holte End and Stan Collymore by tweeting a photograph of a luxury car after the 6-0 home defeat to Liverpool – an act he insists was accidental.
#5 Martin Keown
Martin Keown, Everton FC
Starting out at Arsenal, the Oxford-born centre-back was unable to break the Tony Adams-David O’Leary axis at Highbury and after a clutch of appearances for the Gunners, his career took off at Villa.
He suffered a rough start though with relegation in his first season but both player and club rebuild their reputation the following year as, under future England manager Graham Taylor, they made an immediate return to the top flight. After over a century of appearances for the Midlanders, Keown moved to Everton for £750,000 in 1989 as Colin Harvey looked towards finding a long-term successor for captain Kevin Ratcliffe. Keown had his ups and downs with the Blues – including an infamous off-the-field scuffle with Goodison legend Kevin Sheedy, his form improved considerably after Howard Kendall’s return. Keown broke into the England side and while he never found the net in 126 appearances for Everton, he scored a spectacular goal for his country in Czechoslovakia before making a £2million return to Arsenal in February 1993.
#4 Kevin Richardson
Coventry v Everton - 1984 Kevin Richardson
Although he was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Richardson joined Everton as a schoolboy in 1978 and was given his debut by fellow North Easterner Kendall in November 1981.
Richardson would go on to make 139 appearances for the Blues but being around during the club’s most successful period with stiff competition from Peter Reid, Paul Bracewell and Sheedy.
Joining Watford at the start of the 1986/87 season, Richardson also had spells with Arsenal and Real Sociedad before enjoying something of an Indian Summer at Villa.
Turning out 150 times for the Midlanders, he was man-of-the-match in the aforementioned 1994 League Cup final victory over Manchester United and won his only England cap less than two months later aged 31.
#3 Paul Rideout
Everton's winning goal scorer Paul Rideout celebrates with the FA Cup
Starting out with Swindon Town, Rideout got his big break in top flight football with Aston Villa and after 14 goals in 29 games in his second season, he earned a lucrative move to Bari in 1985.
After three years in Italy, Rideout had something of a nomadic existence on his return to the UK with spells at Southampton, Swindon (loan), Notts County and Rangers in the next three years before Kendall identified him as the target man he needed to add height to his otherwise diminutive squad.
Joining for £500,000 in 1992, Rideout would go on to write himself into Everton folklore in 1995 by scoring the winning goal against Manchester United in the FA Cup final – to secure what remains over 21 years on the Blues last piece of major silverware to date – in what was his first appearance at Wembley since scoring a spectacular goal for England schoolboys against Scotland.
#2 Derek Mountfield
Derek Mountfield enjoyed a trophy-laden spell with his beloved Everton
Plucked from Tranmere Rovers in 1982 by Kendall while still a teenager, boyhood Blue Mountfield developed into a prolific goalscorer from defence in Everton’s all-conquering side of the mid-1980s.
Forming an effective partnership alongside captain Ratcliffe at the heart of defence, while his skipper focused primarily on his duties at the back, netting just twice in 493 outings, Mountfield in contrast, who was a big threat from set pieces, regularly found the net and bagged 14 in the 1984/85 campaign.
He eventually lost his place to fellow Scouser Dave Watson at Goodison but after a £400,000 switch to Villa in the summer of 1988 he became almost won another title medal in 1990, just missing out to old foes Liverpool.
#1 Andy Gray
Everton's Andy Gray wipes blood from a face wound with a sponge
When it came to the Glaswegian battle axe’s contribution to the Everton cause, it was a case of quality over quantity. Gray’s 68 appearances for the Blues doesn’t seem particularly impressive and a goal return of 22 in those matches is hardly mind-blowing when compared to some of the club’s best marksmen but he brought many intangible qualities in what was their most successful period.
Many observers felt that the injury-riddled Scot’s best days were behind him when he arrived at Wolves in 1983 but over the next two seasons his bravery helped to inspire them to a League Championship, FA Cup and only European trophy to date.
Such was his popularity that even the prolific Gary Lineker initially struggled to win over the Gwladys Street faithful when he replaced him.
On departing Goodison, Gray returned to Villa for a second spell, staying for two years, having initially played for the club between 1975-79, netting 54 times in 113 appearances, and winning the 1977 League Cup – against Everton – although after playing in the first two matches he missed the decisive second replay.

Former Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar training with Sunderland
Steven Pienaar is training with Sunderland
By Richard Mennear
August 3 2016 Sunderland Echo
Former Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar IS training with Sunderland as David Moyes looks to strengthen his squad. The 34-year-old midfielder - who has been linked with a move to Orlando Pirates - was released in the summer after just half a dozen appearances last season for the Toffees.
The former Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is training with Sunderland at the club's Academy of Light base. After succeeding Sam Allardyce midway through the pre-season campaign, Moyes admits time restraints have left him with little chance to see all of his potential new recruits in the flesh, with less than a fortnight until the Premier League gets underway. But the ex-Manchester United boss hopes to counter that obstacle by bringing in homegrown players, or at least those who have experience of competing in English football. Pienaar would certainly fit into that mould, with the South African international boasting a wealth of top flight experience. Moyes said: "We want to get it right, so it’s important that we get people who know the Premier League and how it works.
"I would always go and watch the players, see them live, but that’s impossible. "My style wouldn’t be to take anything off a video, but unfortunately with some of them at the moment, I’m having to do that.
"I’m trying to avoid that situation as much as possible, because if you get into it too much, you can make mistakes. "I’ve never been off the telephone, I’ve done an awful lot of work just trying to find out who could be available and what could happen. "We’ve got a couple of offers in for players just now, written offers, and we are just waiting for them to come back."

New deal for Tom Davies, now he targets regular first team football for Everton
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Everton youngster aims for first team
Tom Davies celebrated signing a new five-year deal at Everton by announcing his intention to become a first team regular. Nephew of former Everton title winner Alan Whittle, Davies committed his future to the Blues to June 2021. He actually made his debut against Ronald Koeman’s Southampton last April, and after starting three of Everton’s four pre-season fixtures so far, Koeman clearly likes what he has seen. Davies said: “It’s great motivation knowing I’ll be here for five years and that I can really push on and hopefully develop to become a really good player for the team and go on to do really well.
“Coming back from the off season and going straight back with the first team has been a good insight for me into what’s required of me for the season and to be around the players, play as much as I have and train with them, it’s been vital for my progression as a player. “I just want to become a regular first, that’s something I am going to work towards and hopefully with the help of the staff and learning from other players I can get there.” He made a big impression on Blues fans with an excellent performance in the last match of last season against Norwich City and added: “It has been a dream but I haven’t really thought about it that much until it’s actually come true, I haven’t got too carried away.
“But the day it’s come, it’s unbelievable to actually have signed for five years and it’s really taken me aback to think where I’ve come from as well. “It’s amazing and a pleasure to have signed again on another deal, my second deal with the club and I’m just looking forward to having the next five years here. “Playing the games against Southampton and Norwich, you just want to do it again as soon as you can. It’s something I’ve missed. The next opportunity I get to play, particularly at Goodison, I’m sure I’ll be up for it, ready and I just can’t wait for that moment.” Everton face Espanyol in Ronald Koeman’s first game at Goodison Park this Saturday (3pm). Tickets are available priced at £20 for adults or just £10 for Under-18s and Over-65s.

Premier League 2016-17 preview No6: Everton
Everton look strong off the field but Ronald Koeman needs to strengthen an imbalanced squad before improvements should be expected on it
Ronald Koeman: Everton have ambition to grow and to win
By Andy Hunter
Wednesday 3 August 2016 Guardian
Guardian writers’ predicted position: 8th (NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunter’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 11th
Odds to win the league (via Oddschecker): 100-1
“Everything will be fine,” Ronald Koeman replied when asked why Everton had not signed one outfield player less than three weeks before the start of the Premier League season. The calm assurance was based not on his experience at Southampton – where Koeman’s first campaign began with a player exodus and ended in seventh place – but the rebuilding work commenced by Farhad Moshiri. Fundamental change is under way at Goodison Park but the new manager’s confidence will carry weight only when it emerges from behind the scenes. This summer provides the first test of the British-Iranian billionaire’s intentions for Everton after he acquired an initial 49.9% stake in February. The club’s major shareholder has stayed in the background while the chairman, Bill Kenwright, remains front-of-house, but the early indications are of an investor with long-term aims and genuine ambition.
That is not measured by £30m-plus signings alone – not this summer – but an imbalanced squad that has finished 11th for two seasons running and may lose John Stones and Romelu Lukaku is unlikely to make great strides without a rebuild. The process finally started on Tuesday with the £7.1m signing of Idrissa Gueye from Aston Villa and Ashley Williams remains a target despite Swansea City’s rejection of a £10m offer for their captain. Everton are leaving it late once again, although an overhaul of their managerial structure was the priority and handled impressively.
Moshiri moved decisively to sack Roberto Martínez when the former manager’s three-year reign, along with the organisation, spirit and effort of his players, disintegrated last season. He immediately identified Koeman as the man to correct those faults and return Everton to European contention but the early signals were the 53-year-old, having taken Southampton to sixth and three points off Champions League qualification, wished to consider his options.
A double-your-money offer of £6m per annum to the Dutchman and meeting Southampton’s demands for £5m compensation for their manager, his assistant Erwin Koeman and the coach Jan Kluitenberg hastened the thought process. It also signalled a sea-change at Everton. The club was finally willing and able to put a horse’s head in the bed to get what it wanted.
Remarkably, Koeman is the first manager Everton have appointed directly from another Premier League club in 22 years. Mike Walker was the last, in 1994. No wonder they looked elsewhere after that. Martínez had taken Wigan Athletic into the Championship when Kenwright called in 2013, hoping FA Cup success was a more accurate gauge of the supreme optimist’s work rather than relegation with a shambolic defence. It wasn’t. David Moyes was the bright young thing of the Championship when hired from Preston North End. Walter Smith was one month into his post-Rangers’ retirement when tempted by the former owner Peter Johnson’s promise of nonexistent riches.
The late Howard Kendall, his name fittingly adorning the Gwladys Street stand from this season, had just lost a second-tier play-off final with Sheffield United when answering Everton’s call for the third time in 1997. Joe Royle, the last man to bring a trophy to Goodison, in 1995, accepted the SOS to clear up Walker’s mess and secure the club’s top-flight status while back in the second tier with Oldham Athletic.
In one expensive appointment Moshiri demonstrated the intent that has been lacking at Goodison for years. His voice on the Everton board, Alexander Ryazantsev, described it accurately. “There is such a big concentration [of Premier League clubs] in the north-west that we could not have fallen behind,” said the Russian financier. “It was very important to appoint someone of that stature at the club.”
Moshiri has reshaped Everton’s management structure with a first director of football, too. Frustrated in attempts to land Monchi, the sporting director at the Europa League winners Sevilla, the 61-year-old trained his sights on the Premier League champions and the man credited with bringing Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kanté and Riyad Mahrez to Leicester City. Again compensation was no obstacle and Steve Walsh was secured on a four-year contract.
Everton’s new major shareholder, a close friend of the Arsenal investor Alisher Usmanov, has also resolved to end the torturous saga of a new stadium. Talks have been held with Peel Holdings and Liverpool City Council over two potential sites – one on the banks of the Mersey, the other in Croxteth – with the mayor, Joe Anderson, claiming Everton could have a new home in two to three years following a 90-minute meeting with Moshiri and Kenwright in London recently.
“I was blown away by his passion and commitment,” Anderson said. “Mr Moshiri understands how much investment Everton require both on and off the pitch. The scope of his ambition is vast. Make no mistake about it – he is here to make Everton a success story. His vision is not just about new players and a new stadium, it’s fundamentally transforming the club at every level. It’s clear he is not just here for the short term. It’s about securing the club’s future.”
Failing to build a stadium at King’s Dock on Liverpool’s waterfront, for the price of a £30m share, ranks among Everton’s greatest mistakes and was one of three aborted ground projects during Kenwright’s time as majority shareholder. Delivering a dockside arena at the second opportunity would be the clearest sign that Everton have started anew. It would be potentially Moshiri’s most important achievement – a legacy – but a new home at an unspecified date in the future is currently of no concern to Koeman. The restructuring of Everton is under way and proceeding in the correct order but Koeman did not leave a club in sixth to take his career backwards. Work on the team needs to catch up quickly.
Everton’s manager is clear on the causes of recent underachievement and how he wants the team to play: more direct, more pressing from the front, greater intensity all round and with more physical presence. One of European football’s finest defenders in his day is sure to bring better organisation to a team that conceded 12 goals from set pieces alone last season. Honest, blunt appraisals of performances have also been embraced by supporters during pre-season. But he inherits a significant problem. What Koeman wants does not tally with the players at his disposal, particularly up front.
Everton activated the release clause in Gueye’s Villa contract as, according to Koeman, “he was one of the players last season with the best record in interceptions and pressing in the midfield”. Maarten Stekelenburg has arrived from Fulham ostensibly as a back-up goalkeeper and Shani Tarashaj, an attacking midfielder, has joined the squad having initially signed in January from Grasshoppers Zurich. Otherwise, despite exploring expensive deals for the likes of Alex Witsel, Moussa Sissoko, Joe Hart and Kalidou Koulibaly, Everton’s statement signing has been confined to the manager’s chair so far.
Spending does not guarantee a leap forward, of course, and it is encouraging that bright academy prospects Tom Davies, Kieran Dowell and Callum Connolly have signed new contracts. There is scope for improvement from within should Koeman get more consistency and influence from Ross Barkley, James McCarthy, Leighton Baines and others who struggled under Martínez. But there are weaknesses that need addressing and whatever team materialises before the transfer deadline will have had little time to integrate. The pursuit of a director of football impacted on Everton’s recruitment drive, with Walsh appointed only on 21 July. Holding out for £50m from Manchester City for Stones and waiting for Lukaku’s suitors to reveal themselves has also complicated business. Koeman needs to know where both will be playing next season before installing their replacements. He will be in the market for two more physically imposing central defenders should Stones get his wish to work with Pep Guardiola, and his attack will need reconstructing if Lukaku leaves. Chelsea have been linked with a £67m reunion with the Belgium international but no bids have been lodged. Beyond Lukaku, who would need to improve his work-rate should he stay, Everton lack forwards suited to an intense pressing game. Arouna Koné and Martínez’s dreadful £13.5m signing Oumar Niasse remain on the books yet Koeman has preferred a winger, Gerard Deulofeu, up front in pre-season. “If we don’t have Lukaku maybe, for me, he is the best option to replace Romelu in that position,” said the manager. Niasse has not been near an Everton game since a 45-minute run-out against FK Jablonec in mid-July. That appears sufficient for Koeman to have reached his conclusion on the third most expensive signing in the club’s history, who played 152 minutes for the first team and has not been given a squad number. As well as Gueye and possibly two central defenders – the captain Phil Jagielka has missed much of pre-season with a hamstring problem – Koeman wants a first-choice goalkeeper and striker. A new spine, basically. There is work to be done before “everything is fine”, on the pitch at least.

Idrissa Gueye gets his wish to sign for a BIG club
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Birmingham Mail explains Gueye's motivation for Everton switch
Idrissa Gana got exactly what he wanted from his move to Aston Villa.
A move to a 'Big' club.
And that's the Birmingham Mail's take on Everton's new signing, not the Echo's!
Villa have been European champions, are founder members of the Football League and are widely recognised as one of the traditional big clubs of English football.
But Everton, apparently, are bigger!
The Birmingham Mail writes: "When the Senegal midfielder joined from Lille in a £10million deal last summer he admitted that it was a stepping stone towards better times.
"Speaking to L’Equipe a year ago, he said: 'The most important thing was to come to England to improve and aim for a big club later.' "Twelve months and he’s now at Everton after the Toffees triggered his £7.1m release clause and completed the signing yesterday. "A big club in their own right and an outfit certain to improve this season. "With Farhad Moshiri’s millions and Ronald Koeman’s leadership, the blue side of Merseyside are starting to build something special. "Gana could well be a key player in times to come."

Manchester United v Everton team news: No Gueye debut as Stones and Lukaku start
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Gareth Barry skippers Ronald Koeman's side in his absence with the Dutch manager looking as though he may play a 3-5-2 formation
Everton new boy Idrissa Gueye must wait to make his debut after being left out of the squad to face Manchester United in Wayne Rooney's testimonial tonight. And the Blues continue to be without captain Phil Jagielka who is struggling to shake off a hamstring injury. Gareth Barry skippers Ronald Koeman's side in his absence with the Dutch manager looking as though he may play a 3-5-2 formation.
Mason Holgate has earned a start with Seamus Coleman, Leighton Baines, James McCarthy and Ross Barkley also in the 11. Gerard Deulofeu, the star of Everton's pre-season, plays up front alongside wantaway striker Romelu Lukaku. Kevin Mirallas drops to the bench and once again there is no place in the travelling party for Oumar Niasse. Stekelenburg, Coleman, Baines, Funes Mori, Stones, Holgate, McCarthy, Barry, Barkley, Deulofeu, Lukaku.

Former Everton manager Roberto Martinez named as new Belgium head coach
August 3 2016 London Evening Standard
By Vaishali Bhardwaj
Former Everton manager Roberto Martinez has been appointed as the Belgium national team's new head coach, it has been confirmed. The Royal Belgian Football Association announced the news via their Twitter account on Wednesday night, writing: "Our new head coach: Roberto Martínez ! #welcomeRoberto #tousensemble".
He replaces Marc Wilmots, who was relieved of his duties as Red Devils manager following Belgium's exit at the quarter-final stage of Euro 2016. Martinez's first match in his new role will be against Spain on 1 September. The Spaniard was sacked by Everton in May after he oversaw a poor end to the season, which left the Toffees languishing in 12th place in the standings. His final match in charge saw Everton succumb to a 3-0 loss away to Sunderland, who secured their Premier League status with the win, which handed the Toffees their third successive away defeat in the Premier League. He initially arrived at Goodison Park on a four-year deal in 2013 to much expectation after he led former club, Wigan Athletic, to the FA Cup trophy although he could not keep them in the Premier League.
At Everton, he steered the Toffees to a fifth-placed finish with 72 points in his first season in charge - a club record in the Premier League era - before his second campaign saw Everton end in 11th place.
Things, however, went from bad to worse last season as Everton recorded their worst-ever set of results at home, with eight losses from their 18 matches at Goodison Park, which eventually ended in Martinez leaving the club.

Roberto Martinez named new Belgium manager
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Kristian Walsh
The 43-year-old was dismissed as Blues boss in May but succeeds Marc Wilmots
Former Everton manager Roberto Martinez has been named the new head coach of Belgium.
The 43-year-old was dismissed as Blues manager in May but succeeds Marc Wilmots as national team boss, after the Belgian was sacked from the role following his Euro 2016 quarter-final elimination to Wales Martinez will be reunited with former players Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas, while he is also likely to link up with Liverpool players Simon Mignolet, Christian Benteke and Divock Origi.
The Catalan spent three years with the Toffees but came in for much criticism during his final season in charge, with Everton losing two semi-finals and finishing 11th. It will represent his first job in international football having spent all of his managerial career in England thus far.
Martinez's first task will be to help Belgium qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
He will come up against Bosnia, Greece, Estonia, Cyprus and Gibraltar, as he looks to improve on the nation's underachievement in France this summer.

Wayne Rooney testimonial: 0-0 draw fails to do Man United talisman justice
TESTIMONIALS take place to celebrate the past, but it was all about the future for Wayne Rooney and Manchester United last night.
By Jeremy Cross, Daily Mirror 4th August 2016
Rooney remains part of the furniture at Old Trafford following more than decade of incredible service to the English giants. Everton, who gave Rooney his Premier League start, came to town to help the Three Lions captain celebrate his showpiece game in front of the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and new England boss Sam Allardyce. But while some things remain the same, times continue to change at United as the fallen giants look to return to the pinnacle of domestic and European football.
The biggest deal of all is still in the pipeline as United bosses get set to spend more than £100m alone on Paul Pogba. United mean business and the world waits with bated breath to discover how the rehabilitation programme will pan out. But one thing is clear. Rooney might be heading towards 31 and appears to be past his peak, but he remains central to Mourinho’s revolution. The duo met before Euro 2016 to discuss Mourinho’s plans and Rooney left the discussion impressed with what his new boss had to say. Mourinho has pulled no punches and made it clear to Rooney he wants him in a more advanced role and scoring goals on a consistent basis again. The onus is now on the man himself to deliver and Mourinho knows if he doesn’t, then it won’t be his fault if he has given his talisman ample chance to do so. Against the Toffees, Mourinho sent out a strong side with instructions to go full throttle against Ronald Koeman’s men. Rooney operated in the No.10 role, with Ibrahimovic ahead of him and the pace of Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard. It appears to be the perfect set-up to maximise Rooney’s passing vision and creativity ahead of a defensive back four as he matures into a different footballer.
The axis between Rooney and Ibrahimovic will be pivotal to United’s success and in the 25th minute the duo combined to rip the Toffees apart. Rooney’s slide-rule pass sent in the Swede, who was foiled by Marten Stekelenburg. But the signs were promising. That was until Mourinho hauled the star of the show off eight minutes into the second half so he could go and sit with one of his three sons on the United bench to watch the remainder of the action. On came a certain Marcus Rashford in his place and it appeared to be an ominous message from Mourinho that, if his big names fail to deliver then there are more waiting in the wings to come in and give it their own shot.

Manchester United vs Everton match report: Wayne Rooney's testimonial ends in unremarkable goalless draw
Manchester United 0 Everton 0: The 30-year-old striker provided the star attraction on a night when his charities benefited to the tune of £5m
By Ian Whittell Old Trafford
August 3 2016 Independent
New chapters in the careers of two of the most dominant personalities in recent Premier League history opened at Old Trafford on Wednesday as Wayne Rooney marked his 12-year Manchester United career with a goalless testimonial draw against his former club Everton. For Jose Mourinho, an otherwise unremarkable friendly marked his first game at Old Trafford in charge of the club he believes he was long destined to manage. For Rooney, 30, here were the first tentative steps under his fourth club manager in five seasons and the continuation of a potentially exciting fledgling partnership with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Indeed, while United supporters responded with proper warmth and appreciation to Rooney on a night in which the player’s favourite charities will benefit to the tune of a reported £5 million, there was no doubt which United man was the star attraction. The comparisons between Ibrahimovic and Eric Cantona have been obvious and oft-made since his summer signing from PSG and there is little doubt that the Swede’s sheer weight of personality and charisma could make him an instant success at Old Trafford. First, of course, Ibrahimovic must produce on the field, early signs on his friendly debut against Galatasary at the weekend having been more than promising after he scored within four minutes of kick-off. Ibrahimovic is destined for the lone striker task; Rooney, for the time being, is the logical number 10, playing behind the tall, rangy Swede in the centre of a three-man midfield bank. This understandably lacklustre contest offered little concrete evidence as to the effectiveness or otherwise of that potential pairing although there were certainly glimpses that breathed life into a relatively dormant crowd. On 25 minutes, the England captain slipped through a pass which Ibrahimovic took in his stride and saw parried by Maarten Stekelenburg before, later in the half, Rooney’s hanging, long cross was controlled superbly on his chest by the United number nine with the Everton keeper responding quickly to save. When Mourinho began his wholesale changes, six replacements coming on at the interval, Rooney and Ibrahimovic were two of the five players to remain in play, an indication of their manager’s desire to see that particular pairing click.
However, eight minutes into the second half, Rooney gave way to Marcus Rashford, a substitution that allowed the veteran to bask in an appreciative ovation from the home crowd, and with Rashford more advanced than Rooney had been, Mourinho’s United suddenly switched from 4–2-3-1 to 4-4-2.
Thereafter, Kevin Mirallas wasted the best chance of the night for Everton but, otherwise, the evening belonged to Rooney, a player who has enjoyed and endured a complicated relationship with United supporters, not least because of what have been perceived as two attempts to leave the club in recent years. Considering he should usurp Sir Bobby Charlton as United’s leading goalscorer of all time some time before Christmas, Rooney has not always been regarded with unreserved warmth around these parts although his agent Paul Stretford used the day to stress his player would like to see out his career at the club. "Wayne has gone public in stating that he intends to see out his current contract,” said Stretford. "Should Man United make it clear they want him to stay beyond, I think we'll be sitting down very quickly and ensuring that will happen."
For Mourinho, his preparations for Sunday’s Community Shield meeting with champions Leicester, their last game before the Premier League season kicks off at Bournemouth a week on Sunday, may yet be interrupted by the long-awaited arrival of Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba. "We are going to sign one more player, that's for sure,” said Mourinho. “I don't want to speak about Paul because he is a Juventus player and I don't like other managers speaking about my players. I don't speak about their players but the reality is we are going to sign one more player. "The market closes as you know on August 31 so we have plenty of time to do that but obviously I would like to do it before the Premier League starts."

Manchester United 0-0 Everton full time report: Blues hold on for draw in Wayne Rooney testimonial
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
The Blues created few chances in a friendly dominated by the hosts at Old Trafford
Everton held on for a 0-0 draw against Manchester United in Wayne Rooney's testimonial game at Old Trafford. The Blues created few chances in a friendly dominated by the hosts but David De Gea had to deny Ross Barkley before Kevin Mirallas wasted a good chance early in the second-half.
Blues goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg made two decent saves from Zlatan Ibrahimovic but United struggled for creativity against Everton's packed defence. Mo Besic was one of a raft of second-half substitutions but was forced off after picking up a knee injury and was replaced by Tom Davies.
Everton complete their pre-season schedule on Saturday when they welcome Espanyol to Goodison but manager Ronald Koeman, who spent most of the first-half shaking his head, knows his side must improve on this performance. The Blues may have been level with Manchester United at the break but there was only one side in it. De Gea denied Barkley just past the half hour mark in the Blues' best chance but it was the home team that dominated proceedings in Rooney's testimonial. Everton, to their credit, were fairly well organised in a 3-5-2 formation but were twice troubled by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with Maarten Stekelenburg equal to both, and when Luke Shaw fizzed a deflected drive past his post.
But in possession, the Blues were distinctly average, often struggling to play simple passes and hit United on the counter-attack. Barkley had the best chance before Romelu Lukaku headed a late chance wide of the post. Mirallas should have done better when the ball fell kindly in the box for him early in the second-half but he slashed at the ball and hit the side-netting.

Manchester United 0-0 Everton ratings: Holgate's finest display but Deulofeu woeful
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Greg O’Keeffe
Greg O'Keeffe runs the rule over the Everton players after Wayne Rooney's testimonial - and it's not great for some
Maarten Stekelenburg 7
Commanded his area admirably and made some important saves. Some of his distribution, though, was poor.
Leighton Baines 6
Solid defensively but struggled to find his rhythm going forward.
John Stones 6
Some good things, some not so good. The centre-piece of a defensive unit which kept a clean sheet, and marshalled Ibrahimovic well at times but some of his passing was errant.
Mason Holgate 8
Hugely encouraging. Has really grown into this pre-season and this was his finest display yet in easily the most testing fixture. Comfortable on the ball and assured under pressure, with a maturity well beyond his 19 years.
Ramiro Funes Mori 6
Wobbly first half an hour but came into his own as the contest progressed.
Seamus Coleman 6
Improved after a diffident start to cope well with United's probing.
James McCarthy 5
A thankless night's work for a player seemingly low on confidence. Couldn't make an impact in the engine room and his distribution was sloppy.
Gareth Barry 6
One of few to come through that insipid first half with much credit. Lovely foot-work to leave Ander Herrera rooted to the spot as one attack mounted and typical shrewd positioning helped shelter the defence.
Ross Barkley 5
Brought a tremendous save from David De Gea with the visitors' best chance of the first half but otherwise quiet. One trademark surge upfield ended with him on his backside and could find no spark with Lukaku.
Gerard Deulofeu 3
He's been one of the better performers so far this pre-season but was the worst player on the pitch for 45 minutes tonight. Continually gave the ball away and shirked challenges. Woeful.
Romelu Lukaku 4
It wasn't a formation guaranteed to bring the best out of him and in mitigation the Belgian had precious little service other than over-hit clearances. But what he did get, he failed spectacularly to do anything with. A headed chance he should have buried went begging, his touch was bang average and he seemed to lack commitment.
Substitutes
Mirallas (Deulofeu, 45) Looked lively. An instant upgrade on Deulofeu's contribution. 7
Robles (Stekelnburg, 45) Solid. Good distribution. 6
Besic (Barry, 65) Little chance to get involved before being injured. N/A
Kone (Lukaku, 65) Held the ball up better than Lukaku but little end product. 6
Oviedo (Baines, 65) Bright and busy. Got forward well. 6
Cleverley (McCarthy, 65) Neat and tidy but nothing memorable. 6
Lennonn (Holgate, 65) Helped deter Ashely Young from bombing on. Worked hard. 6
Gibson (Barkley, 65) Slotted into the 'Barry role' comfortably and looked sharp. 6
Davies (Besic) Undaunted and busy. 6

Manchester United 0-0 Everton analysis: Strong back, Maarten makes mark but new boy's Gana be playing
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Greg O’Keeffe
Greg O'Keeffe assesses an intriguing night for the Blues at Old Trafford
If Everton's toothless attack was a cause for concern tonight, then some succour came at the other end of the pitch at least.
The 3-5-2 formation, favoured by Koeman while at Feynoord against top teams blessed with considerable attacking threat, did its job. United, despite the presence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial among others, were frustrated and thwarted when they tried to get in behind the Blues back line. They were often forced into lumping crosses into the area, and Koeman's backline coped with relative ease.
Maarten commanding
Everton's travails when it comes to finding a goalkeeper who can command his six-yard box from set-pieces have been well documented over recent seasons. So a rare positive was the way Maarten Stekelenburg did just that in the first half. His kicking might have been errant, but he was decisive in dealing with corners and crosses while making a couple of impressive saves.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Manchester United sees his shot saved by Maarten Stekelenburg as he his closed down by Mason Holgate of Everton For now, with no apparent progress in the search for a long-term number one, Everton fans will take that.
Gueye will get in
If Idrissa Gueye was watching he could be forgiven for coming to one conclusion. He'll be busy this season. It's a good job the Senegalese midfielder seems to relish pushing himself, putting in the hard yards, and getting stuck in. The signs aren't great for James McCarthy, here being outjumped by Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Manchester United Because those qualities - combined with a bit of composure - were lacking in Everton's central midfield area and based on the performances of other contenders for this particular berth (look away James McCarthy) he'll walk into the team.
Say what?!
It tells you much about this subdued contest that the most memorable moment, from an Evertonian perspective anyway, happened off the pitch. Yes, that's right, you are still reading this correctly, shortly after the restart the news emerged that Roberto Martinez has been appointed as Belgium manager.
Poor Kevin Mirallas. He'd just come on and made a bright start, but his international prospects suddenly look a whole lot slimmer, and they weren't in the rudest health anyway. Romelu Lukaku of Everton shoots at goal during the Wayne Rooney testimonial match - before finding out the identity of the new Belgium manager As for Romelu Lukaku, he seemed to find the news as surprising as the rest of us as he took his seat in the dug-out. For Evertonians, the future is all about Koeman and building a stronger more dynamic and resilient team in a bright new era. But it will be intriguing to see how Martinez fares in this very different yet astoundingly high-profile new role considering the relative failures of his past two club jobs.
How do you say phenomenal in Belgian?
Geri stalls
Gerard Deulofeu had played his way into the number seven shirt at Everton, and very much into the thinking of Koeman after a super-charged pre-season to date. He shone in a more central role, then proved his dead-ball prowess in Germany.
But then tonight happened.
At times it seemed like the mercurial winger was going to give his new boss an aneurysm, such was Koeman's visible rage at his faltering, at times gutless, display.
One bad night does not undermine three weeks of steady progress and encouragement. But Geri will have to turn it on again with a vengeance against Espanyol to convince Koeman he can be a contender for the starting XI against Spurs.

Everton to return with improved Ashley Williams bid
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Williams still being pursued as Koeman sweats on
Everton will return with an improved bid for Swansea City captain Ashley Williams.
The Blues had a £10m offer for the centre-half rejected on Tuesday night but remain undeterred in their pursuit of the 31-year-old. Swansea issued a strongly worded statement explaining why they had knocked back the approach for the Wales skipper but the ECHO understands that Everton will return with a bigger offer to ensure Ronald Koeman lands his defensive target. When asked about further transfer dealings, Koeman said: “We're working hard to bring in good players. "It's not respectful to talk about players who are not players of Everton, but we hope to bring some new players in as soon as possible." Blues skipper Phil Jagielka is back in training after a hamstring injury but remains a doubt for the opening game of the new Premier League season on August 13 when Spurs head for Goodison.

Jagielka has not featured in any of Everton's warm-up games and though Koeman is refusing to rule him out of this weekend's friendly with Espanyol, he remains unsure if he will be fit enough for the first league match. Asked if he was worried that the Blues captain will not be fit in time, Koeman said: “Of course but he is now training and maybe he can be part of the team for this Saturday. “We have to make a decision on Friday but it is difficult for players who lost a lot in pre-season because normally physically-wise you need a good pre-season. “The boy has a good mentality and experience and maybe that helps him to get ready for the start of the season.” Mo Besic, meanwhile, will undergo a scan tomorrow after hurting his knee against United. The Bosnian midfielder was introduced in the second-half but was forced off mid-way through after twisting his knee.

Manchester United 0-0 Everton verdict: Koeman expectations not being met as Blues boss discovers new problems
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Koeman was left angered by aspects of his side's performance and underwhelmed or left disbelieving by others Instead of seeing it all start to come together Ronald Koeman may well be discovering new problems with his Everton team. And the new Premier League season starts in 10 days. The Blues may have secured a draw and a welcome clean sheet against a side that will be challenging for the title next season but it's debatable if Koeman had much else to be satisfied with. Afterwards he was again upbeat about the efforts of his players but privately he'd had every right be concerned by what he saw from the touchline at Old Trafford tonight. Not in their shape or ability to stifle an expensively assembled United attack – they did that well – but when in possession and in front of goal. Well, on the few occasions they got near it. Everton were better in the second-half, no doubt having been on the end of a rollocking at the break, but the improvements were slight and cannot have been enough to appease the manager. Koeman looked pensive and deep in thought throughout the second period of Wayne Rooney's testimonial but he had at times raged during the first, angered by aspects of his side's performance and underwhelmed or left disbelieving by others. He was much more calm and pragmatic when assessing things at the final whistle. The Everton manager will be highly demanding of his players as he strives for perfection but nevertheless, with the arrival of Spurs on the horizon the need for reinforcements has never felt more urgent than it does after this display. The Blues, you could argue, did enough to deserve a draw but nothing other than that. And even when taking a step back from it all, composing yourself and remembering that we are still in pre-season, there will be few Evertonians enthused by what was served up. During the action, Koeman certainly didn't look like he was.
Sure, the Blues looked fairly comfortable, compact and competent in the 3-5-2 formation that the manager favours and they restricted an attack made up of Rooney, Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to only a couple of clear chances. That should not be overlooked but Koeman failed to hide his disgust when first Romelu Lukaku, and then Gerard Deulofeu, backed out of 50-50 challenges or when Ross Barkley squandered possession as counter-attack broke down before it got going.
On that occasion, the manager stormed back to his seat in the dugout. He shook his head as simple passes were misplaced, under-hit or misdirected and the rare chances that came Everton's way were not dispatched as they should have been. Hovering above Koeman in Old Trafford's South Stand were the watching Jon Woods, Sasha Ryazantsev and Robert Elstone. And as they feed back to majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright, the message will be clear: this Blues squad is in need of quality additions as soon as possible. Koeman didn't include new recruit Idrissa Gueye in the squad for the game and they are in the hunt for Swansea City captain Ashley Williams but between now and the close of the window Everton's playing staff needs an injection of quality to match that of its manager. Espanyol are the visitors to Goodison on Saturday afternoon in the final warm-up of the summer and an expectant home crowd will hope to be encouraged as they head into the new season.
Koeman's arrival has raised standards but so far with only the squad he inherited to work with, those expectations have yet to be met.

Koeman praises Everton defence but admits possession was 'not good enough'
3 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Ian Doyle
Blues boss has mixed emotions after goalless friendly draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford
Ronald Koeman praised Everton 's defence after the goalless draw at Manchester United – but warned parts of the team's performance were “not good enough”. The Blues held firm to frustrate their Old Trafford hosts in Wayne Rooney's testimonial as they continued their pre-season preparations.
Koeman chose to experiment with a back three of Mason Holgate, John Stones and Ramiro Funes Mori that successfully shut out Jose Mourinho's side. But the Dutchman was unimpressed with Everton's work going forward with just 10 days until they start their Premier League campaign at home to Tottenham Hotspur. “I think we played differently to what we have done in our previous friendlies,” said Koeman. “It was a different system and that can be difficult for players. I like to change things sometimes and in friendlies you can take that opportunity. “We played with a very good defensive organisation. United did not create a lot of big chances, maybe two in the first half, but nothing in the second. “That aspect of football was good tonight but our ball possession was not good enough. There were too many easy balls. “But we had the best chances in the game, like the header for Romelu in the first half, then Kevin in the second. “So it is positive because this is what you need but I expect better quality on the ball and that was not good enough tonight.” Koeman was encouraged by the competitive nature of the fixture but hopes for further improvement in Everton's final warm-up match against Espanyol at Goodison on Saturday. “That is good because there is a little bit more pressure on the players,” he said. “It was a testimonial and both sides made a lot of changes during the game. But it was a serious friendly game and the boys did well. “We worked very hard to get a result and a good performance and we are little bit more closer to the start of the season. “We still have one friendly to go and we are looking forward to Saturday against Espanyol.”

Everton transfer news: Toffees make shock move for Arsenal-linked £63m winger Julian Draxler
The Germany star confirmed on Wednesday morning that he wants to leave Wolfsburg and Ronald Koeman's side have wasted no time in approaching him
By Jack Pitt-Brooke
August 3 2016 Independent
Everton have made an ambitious approach to sign Wolfsburg’s Germany international Julian Draxler.
The 22-year-old declared on Wednesday morning that he wants to leave Wolfsburg, putting Europe’s top clubs on alert, but it is Ronald Koeman’s newly-rich side who have made the first move.
Having only signed Maarten Stekelenburg and Idrissa Gueye since Farhad Moshiri’s takeover in February, Everton are expected to spend money this summer, and are in negotiations with Swansea City for Ashley Williams. But they have made a surprise move for Draxler, opening talks with Wolfsburg about the purchase of the young forward. Wolfsburg have been insistent today that Draxler is going nowhere, but he has a release clause of €75million (£63m), the same sum that his club received from Manchester City for Kevin De Bruyne last summer. That price, and Draxler’s preference for an established top club such as Arsenal, might make Everton outsiders. But they are determined to try for one of Europe’s most talented young players. Draxler gave an explosive interview to Bild on Wednesday morning in which he demanded to be sold by Wolfsburg, trying to force his way out of the club he joined last year. “I have expressed myself clearly to [coach] Dieter Hecking that after the Euros I want to leave Wolfsburg,” Draxler said. “We had a verbal agreement when I joined in August 2015 that I could leave the club if the possibility arose. It was always clear between all parties that I would like to go to a top international club if the chance came.” Arsenal and Juventus were both interested in Draxler when he played for Schalke, and the Italian champions were expected to sign him last summer. But Wolfsburg spent the money they made on De Bruyne on him instead, so Draxler stayed in the Bundesliga.
Arsene Wenger has been keen on Draxler for years and Draxler himself is open to the possibility of a move to the Emirates, because of Arsenal’s status and their Champions League football this season.
However, it remains uncertain whether Wenger would commit the full £63m for Draxler when he already has Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil in his squad.

How Echo legend was tipped off about an Everton legend - in a paper shop
4 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Born Not Manufactured, by Ken Rogers. Out today
Former Echo Sports Editor KEN ROGERS spent five decades reporting football on Merseyside.
Born and bred in Everton, he observed, reported on and influenced a seismic period in Merseyside football history. And in his latest book “Born Not Manufactured” he lifts the lid on many tales – including a run-in with Bill Shankly, sitting in Howard Kendall’s hotel bedroom while a transfer saga unfolded and even quizzing golfing icon Seve Ballesteros about Everton! Born Not Manufactured is published today. The Echo highlights just some of the hidden gems Ken has penned.
Ken Rogers gives a talk as crowds gather to watch Dr Mark Adams and his archaeology team from the Museum of Liverpool led a football archaeological dig in Village Street, off Everton Park, to find the site of the Queens Head Hotel, where St Domingo's FC became Everton FC in 1879. Photo by James Maloney
Andy Gray is in a Goodison Road newsagent. Are we signing him?
DURING transfer windows, football journalists all over the country live every day on a knife edge, fearing they might miss out on the kind of major exclusive that can drive newspaper sales through the roof.
The reality is that these days, with the big clubs totally focused on ensuring their own websites and TV channels get everything first, the chances of any local or national newspaper getting a significant ‘scoop’are minimal. But back in the 1980s, when I was covering Everton and Liverpool, your newspaper didn’t just hope you might get most or all of the big stories. They expected and demanded it.
When you lost out to a journalist on a rival title, it was as if you had stabbed your own organisation in the back. There was never any point trying to explain to an exasperated editor how it might have happened. It was as if you had let everyone down, like scoring an own goal in a derby match or a World Cup final. You could argue as much as you liked that it was circumstantial and a matter of timing, perhaps due to a surprise announcement by the other club involved, be it an in or out transfer.
European Cup Winners Cup Final. Rotterdam, Holland. Everton 3 v Rapid Vienna 1. Everton's Andy Gray celebrates after the match But that simply didn’t wash. In my case at the Liverpool Echo, I was expected to have an infallible network of contacts with other evening newspaper journalists across the UK and there could be no excuses if I missed out, at least none that an office-based editor who didn’t have to work the training grounds or the corridors of power could understand or wanted to understand.
It didn’t matter that, in my case, I was one evening newspaper journalist against five vastly experienced national reporters. These guys knew what they were doing and operated as a cartel to ensure they had the best possible chance of cornering the market. They even called themselves ‘The Mafia’!
I didn’t believe that I would end up with a horse’s head in my bed if I crossed them, but they were all hugely experienced individuals at that time like John Keith (Daily Express), Chris James (Daily Mirror), Mike Ellis (The Sun), Colin Wood (Daily Mail) and Matt D’Arcy (The Daily Star).
It meant that I had to develop and maintain first class relationships with Merseyside’s top local football managers as well as a personal understanding with other people on the inside, not least influential chief executives like Jim Greenwood at Goodison Park and Peter Robinson at Anfield.
Now I’d like to say that every big story I secured was based on my ability as a leading regional journalist and a contacts book that was second to none, backed up by personal relationships with all the people who mattered. The reality is that it often never works out like that. Let me give you an example of a Howard Kendall signing that helped transform the Blues in the Eighties. I was sitting at my desk one November day in 1983. Nothing much was happening and I warned the sports editor not to expect anything too exciting for the back page. Everton FC win the First division championship in May 1985 under Howard Kendall. Andy Gray with the trophy Suddenly the phone rang and a Scouse voice at the other end of the line asked: “Are we signing Andy Gray?” I knew Andy was an outstanding centre-forward on his day and that he had suffered a number of injury problems, but his name had never come up, even in one of those speculative Sunday newspaper transfer columns that linked clubs with all and sundry on the basis that one day they might strike it lucky. Even though I had regular daily contact with Howard Kendall, he had not mentioned it. I asked the caller why he was posing the question and he said: “Because I’ve just seen him in a newsagents opposite Goodison Park!”
I couldn’t get the phone down quickly enough. The 11am first edition deadline was looming and I needed to get back to Howard again, even though it sounded highly unlikely that Gray would be a
priority target. Maybe it was just a hoax call? I immediately rang Bellefield, only to be told: “Sorry, the boss isn’t here.” This in itself set the alarm bells ringing because Howard was always available, being the most user-friendly manager in the top flight. My second call was to chief executive Jim Greenwood. I asked: “Do you know where Howard is?” Jim was vastly experienced and blocked my question with one of his own: “Why do you want to know?”
I replied: “I know this sounds ridiculous, but I’ve just been told that Andy Gray was seen half an hour ago buying a newspaper opposite Goodison.” The phone went silent for a few seconds. I instinctively knew that Jim had Howard in his office, ready to sign the transfer document. Jim was the master of telling me something without actually saying it. “Give me 10 minutes,” he said, “and do not write anything until Howard rings you back.” I knew it was on, but didn’t have time to kick my heels with the deadline looming. I immediately sent a request to our newspaper library for the press cuttings on Gray, plus his photo bags. I also alerted the sports desk and put in a back-up call to my opposite number at the Birmingham Post and Mail. By the time Howard rang me back to confirm the deal was about to be done, I had a full story written, plus a backgrounder on Andy who had made a big name for himself, first in Scotland with Dundee United and then with Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who had just accepted Howard’s £250,000 offer. Ken Rogers Born Not Manufactured RRP £14.99 is on sale for just £12.99 from www.sportmediashop.com, by calling 0845 143 0001 or from the Liverpool Echo reception. Waterstones Liverpool One are hosting an evening with Ken Rogers on 17th August, see waterstones.com for details.

Everton transfer rumours: Blues eye audacious moves for Benteke and Draxler
4 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Chris Beesley
Koeman targets Reds striker as potential replacement for Lukaku
Christian Benteke and Julian Draxler
Everton have lined up an audacious move to take Liverpool's Christian Benteke across Stanley Park declares the Mirror. The report says that the Blues have Benteke lined up if Chelsea meet their £75million valuation for fellow Belgium international striker Romelu Lukaku. And in an added twist, Ronald Koeman would be going head-to-head in the battle to land the former Aston Villa front man with ex-Goodison boss David Moyes who wants him at new club Sunderland. Crystal Palace moved for Benteke last month but although they were prepared to match his £120,000 a week wages, they failed to meet the Reds £30million asking price. Anfield chiefs are insistent that unless their valuation is met, Benteke will be staying put despite falling down the pecking order in Jurgen Klopp's line-up. The 25-year-old joined the Reds last summer after netting 49 times in 101 games for a struggling Villa side but endured a disappointing season. However, given the inflated prices in the transfer market this summer due to the increased television money, Liverpool believe that they should be able to offload Benteke without taking much of a financial hit. The last player to move directly between the Mersey giants was Abel Xavier who joined Liverpool from Everton in January 2002 while none have gone from Liverpool to Everton during the Premier League era. The most recent star to swap Anfield for Goodison was native Scouser, the late Gary Ablett, who moved in January 1992 and became the only man to win the FA Cup with both clubs. Meanwhile, the Independent say that Everton have made an ambitious approach to sign Wolfsburg's wantaway Germany international Julian Draxler. The 22-year-old declared on Wednesday morning that he wants to leave the Bundesliga club and the newly-rich Blues have made the first move. Wolfsburg are insistent that Draxler is going nowhere but he has a 75million Euros (£63million) release clause. The report suggests that the price and the player's preference for an established top club like Arsenal might make Everton outsiders but they are determined to try for one of Europe's most talented young players.

Lukaku? - react to Martinez Belgium appointment
4 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Kristian Walsh
Evertonians come to terms with the Catalan landing himself a top job after his dismissal at Goodison last season
Roberto Martinez's relationship with Mirallas became increasingly fraught
It didn't take much in a fairly uneventful pre-season friendly, but Everton fans' attention soon switched elsewhere from the Blues' game with Manchester United. The bombshell of Roberto Martinez's appointment as Belgium head coach was the talk of social media, as Evertonians come to terms with the Catalan landing himself a top job after his dismissal at Goodison last season. Here are some of the best comments, both from Twitter and Facebook and the comments section on the Echo website.
There was a common theme on Twitter, though there are well-wishers:
On Facebook, some couldn't believe it:
Damien Conway: Breaking news - Romelu Lukaku has announced that he wants to change nationality in order to win something following the appointment of Roberto Martinez.
Billy Nicholls: There can't be many managers out of work in Europe if Belgium think he is the answer. No experience at international level as a player or manager. Matthew Gilbert: Absolutely incredible, did he promise them the World Cup or something?
Huw Thomas: One hell of a Stella session when they decided on that one! Kevin Caspersen: Have fun with that Belgium.
Dave Tudor: What's Flemish for 'phenomenal'? Not everyone took the mick, though:
Robbie Bryan: I think he might do well. Competitions suit him.
Edward James: I wish him all the best. Never worked at club level for him. Hope the national side does him well.
Giles Smith: Delighted with this. Worried he would end up at Hull. Total gent despite failings at Everton. Good luck Bobby.
Mark Ingram: Football is a funny game. You never know what's around that corner.
Jamie Goldsmith: Personally, I'll wish him all the best.
And here's what was said on our comments section:
EvertonNYC: Always thought he was a great manager, really happy for him.
StephenPearson: Allardyce for England and Martinez for Belgium. What next? Still speechless. Don't know which ones more shocking.
BobBallard: Poor Kev, bet he thought he had seen the back of him.

Everton launch bid to beat Arsenal in race to sign £63million German star Julian Draxler
4 Aug 2016 Daily Mirror
By Barry Rabbetts
Ronald Koeman has opened talks with Wolfsburg over the 22-year-old, who is wanted by both Arsene Wenger and Juventus
Everton have reportedly launched an ambitious bid to sign Arsenal target Julian Draxler .
The Germany star is at the centre of a row with his club Wolfsburg and is wanted by both Arsene Wenger and Italian champions Juventus. Draxler told a newspaper on Wednesday he asked to leave after Germany's Euro 2016 exit . But Wolfsburg hit back just hours later , issuing a statement saying the 22-year-old is going nowhere. Now, according to the Independent , Everton have opened talks with the Bundesliga side over a move for the winger. Draxler joined Wolfsburg from Schalke last summer, but has a release clause in his contract of £63million - the same figure his club received from Manchester City for Kevin de Bruyne. The Toffees have only signed goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and Idrissa Gueye since Farhad Moshiri took over the club in February. And with new boss Ronald Koeman in negotiations with Swansea City for Ashley Williams and Crystal Palace's Scott Dann they are keen to further strengthen their squad before the start of the Premier League season next week.
Arsenal have had Draxler on their radar since he was at Schalke and were expecting to face tough competition from Juventus for his signature. They were boosted by the player's comments to German newspaper Bild this week, in which he said: “I have expressed myself clearly after the Euros, with [Wolfsburg manager] Dieter Hecking, that I want to leave Wolfsburg. The coach knows for more than three weeks. "Two days after the semi-final at the European Championships I told him how I see the whole situation and what I want – which is to leave the club.
"I was verbally assured with my transfer in August 2015 that I can leave the club when given opportunities. Both from Hecking, as well as Allofs."
But Draxler’s hopes of a move away from Wolfsburg were dealt a blow just hours later after the German club insisted they will NOT be selling him this summer. A statement released by the club on Wednesday afternoon claimed that neither “written nor oral commitments” have been made and that they “will not be granting the player’s wish to make a move". The left winger, who has four years left on his Wolfsburg deal, made his Bundesliga debut aged just 17 and went on to score 18 goals from 118 appearances for Schalke. He scored another six from 23 games last season for Wolfsburg and has already played 24 times for the German national side, scoring twice.

Williams would be perfect fit for Everton - Ferdinand
4 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Kristian Walsh
Former Manchester United defender tells the ECHO what Williams would bring to Goodison Park
Former England defender Rio Ferdinand believes Ashley Williams could be the perfect fit at Everton – and would be a great signing for any Premier League club. The Blues have seen a £10m bid for the centre back rejected by Swansea, but remain undeterred in their pursuit of the 31-year-old and will return to the Welsh club with an improved offer in the coming days. Ronald Koeman is yet to bring defensive reinforcements into Goodison, but has identified Williams as an ideal candidate to shore up a back line which conceded 55 goals. Ferdinand watched the Dutchman guide his team to a goalless draw against Manchester United in Wayne Rooney’s testimonial on Wednesday night, but still believes Williams would be an essential addition to the Toffees’ defence. “Jagielka is 35 and injured,” said Ferdinand, who served as pundit for BT Sport for the testimonial. “You’ve a couple of young guns in there in Galloway and the Argentine, Funes Mori. “They’ve got Stones but it looks like his move to Man City is imminent, so experience is something they’ll need and if you’re looking for experience, consistency and someone who knows the league, you don’t look no further than Ashley Williams.
“At the moment it’s about the two clubs coming together and finding a fee and deciding whether it’s the right move for the player.” Ferdinand spent 12 seasons at Old Trafford with Manchester United and also won 81 England caps during his glittering 19-year career. Regarded as one of the nation’s best centre backs in modern times, Ferdinand recognises the leadership qualities of Williams, who wears the armband for both club and country. “On Everton’s part it would be a fantastic acquisition,” he added. “We saw at the Euros where he was one of the best defenders at the competition, a leader and most importantly right now – from Everton’s perspective – he knows the league.
“He’s not a player that will have to come in and get acclimatised to the league, he knows it, so if I was looking in the marketplace for an experienced centre-half in this country I wouldn’t look any further than Ashley Williams. “And that’s the same whether I was a Manchester United, City, Chelsea, Everton, Arsenal, I wouldn’t look anywhere else.” Koeman is currently sweating on the fitness of Phil Jagielka ahead of next week’s Premier League opener against Tottenham, after the Blues captain picked up a hamstring injury in training, while John Stones’ future remains in doubt. The Everton boss admitted the club will continue to pursue targets in the transfer market. “We’re working hard to bring in good players,” Koeman said. “It’s not respectful to talk about players who are not players of Everton, but we hope to bring some new players in as soon as possible.”

Romelu Lukaku is Everton's greatest puzzle - and he must by solved by Ronald Koeman
4 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Kristian Walsh
He is still only 23 and scores goals, yet Koeman must figure out what sort of striker he is - if he stays
Romelu Lukaku of Everton shoots at goal during the Wayne Rooney testimonial match
Much of the focus at Everton remains on who hasn’t joined at Goodison Park, rather than who actually has posed in the royal blue at Finch Farm. Players such as Axel Witsel, Kalidou Koulibaly, Graziano Pelle and Ashley Williams have been on the club’s radar at various points this summer, yet Idrissa Gueye’s arrival this week became just the second senior arrival since Ronald Koeman arrived. The concern and angst over the lack of transfer activity is understandable. In no way should retaining players – the vast majority of whom were part of a squad that finished 11th last season – be cause for celebration.
But the presence of Romelu Lukaku up front for Everton on Wednesday night was enough to pique interest. Odds on to leave at the end of last season, his customary verbosity on international duty – coupled with that of his agent, Mino Raiola – made his departure from Goodison Park an inevitability.
Yet 10 days from the new Premier League campaign, with a new man in charge of the club, Lukaku remains an Everton player, starting in the pre-season friendly with Manchester United.
Full time report As it happened Ratings Phil Kirkbride's verdict Analysis Williams latest Koeman praises defence Granted, the 3-5-2 he fielded at Old Trafford is likely to be an ace up his sleeve, rather than standard fare. John Stones is still expected to leave, though the Blues remain insistent on the £50m asking price, while Phil Jagielka will likely feature when fit. That’s not to mention the players who have just arrived – Idrissa Gueye – or are yet to arrive at the club. But there on the pitch were Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman and Ramiro Funes Mori; one of James McCarthy or Gareth Barry will, for now, play in midfield; Ross Barkley and Gerard Deulofeu will be crucial to Koeman’s plans this season.
Still there, at the head of everything, was Lukaku.
There is still time for that to change, with just under a month of the transfer window remaining, but this was a reflection on the ambition of Everton – and Farhad Moshiri – to retain their best players on their terms. With Chelsea’s wealth, Everton have had to play a strong hand throughout the summer.
Now, it is time for Lukaku to repay that with a display of strength of his own.
It was not in evidence in Manchester in what was a poor performance. At best, it showed a striker getting to grips with a new style of play and still gaining fitness after his Euro 2016 exploits; at worst, it represented a showing devoid of effort and understanding. If Lukaku is to stay at Goodison Park, he will do so as the club’s great hope. No matter the players who do arrive between now and the end of the month, the 23-year-old will be their best player, the man whose fortunes will go a fair way to determining how successful Koeman’s first season at the helm is. Sorting the defence will be important, of course. After all, Lukaku bagged 18 league goals in 2015/16, but the 55 goals conceded ensured a bottom half finish.
No matter. Extracting the best from Lukaku will be essential.
It will require a change of style from the Belgian. Koeman likes his strikers to be more of a target man, to utilise their strength; in Park End parlance, to put themselves about a bit. Lukaku is capable of doing that, but not on a consistent enough basis. That consistency will be something for Koeman to extract, in part. It also requires a full buy-in from Lukaku to be the striker his new boss wants him to be. Perhaps Lukaku is too rounded, at the moment; he is big and strong, but also possesses real quickness across the floor, looking to latch on to balls both short and long.
That can lead to confusion; a puzzle over how best to play Lukaku forms.
Sometimes, he fails to deal with the physicality. His first touch, with his back to goal, can be poor. He does not take up the positions a target man should. On other occasions, he is not vibrant enough in his movement, and provides a target which is far too static. None of that should distract from the talent he has, nor deter Koeman from moulding him into the striker he wants to be.
And yet, Lukaku faces criticism from a number of fans.
It is not an incomprehensible stance from those select Evertonians. Even away from those games where he fails to make an impact, there are other aspects to consider: his proclivity for public speaking, and the sense that his stay at Goodison Park will ultimately be a transient one. There is also the inescapable fact his second half of last season was much poorer than the first, failing to score in his final nine league games. Indeed, he is an enigmatic character. He scored 25 goals in all competitions for the Blues last season, the first to reach that milestone since Gary Lineker, and has hit 61 goals in just 132 appearances.
Such a strike-rate should have him revered, yet there are a number who would happily see him sold for big money this summer.
Big enough money to make him the most expensive British transfer in history, that is.
It is a strange situation, and one that will only be rectified with Lukaku knuckling down, learning to flourish under Koeman, and firing them towards their lofty targets. His first three appearances under the Dutchman have not been the desired start. Success this season – whatever that constitutes to whoever is setting it – does not just depend on who comes in and who remains, but making sure they all play to Koeman’s liking. Doing that with Lukaku could be his biggest challenge, but if he achieves it, it will also bring the greatest reward.

Everton expected to improve offer for Swansea’s Ashley Williams
• Swansea turned down £10m bid for defender
• Wales captain open to move to Merseyside
By Andy Hunter
Thursday 4 August 2016 Guardian
Everton are expected to test Swansea City’s resolve to keep Ashley Williams with an improved offer for the Wales defender. The Goodison Park club were hopeful of signing the 31-year-old for £10m earlier this week only for Swansea to announce they had “turned down the offer currently on the table”. Williams, who is believed to be open to a move to Merseyside, has two years on his contract and remains a target for the new Everton manager, Ronald Koeman. Koeman is keen to add strength and experience to Everton’s defence before the start of Premier League season and Goodison officials are set to increase their bid for the Swansea and Wales captain. The captain Phil Jagielka has not played a pre-season fixture because of a hamstring problem, but has resumed training, and John Stones will join Manchester City providing Everton’s £50m valuation of the England international is met. “We’re working hard to bring in good players,” Koeman said after Wayne Rooney’s testimonial on Wednesday. “It’s not respectful to talk about players who are not players of Everton, but we hope to bring some new players in as soon as possible.” Everton played the goalless draw against Manchester United with a three-man central defence of the 19-year-old Mason Holgate, Stones and Ramiro Funes Mori.
Koeman has signed only the midfielder Idrissa Gueye, for £7.1m from Aston Villa, and the goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg this summer. Despite interest in Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, the Dutch coach considers the Belgium international part of his plans for the new season and Everton have yet to receive an official approach for the striker from Stamford Bridge. Lukaku has three years remaining on his contract and, at this late stage of the transfer window, Everton may adopt the same hardline stance that thwarted Chelsea’s public pursuit of Stones 12 months ago.

Everton youngster Conor Grant makes quick impression after joining Ipswich on loan
4 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Kristian Walsh
The 21-year-old midfielder will be at Portman Road for the duration of the 2016/17 season
Mick McCarthy has believes Conor Grant has already made a big impression at Ipswich, after the Tractor Boys boss signed up the Everton youngster on a season-long loan. The 21-year-old joins the Championship club for the duration of the 2016/17 season, just two weeks after penning a new two-year deal with the Blues. The midfielder was part of Ronald Koeman’s pre-season trips to Austria and Germany – missing a penalty in the shoot-out defeat to Real Betis in Dresden - as well as featuring in the domestic friendlies against Barnsley and MK Dons. Grant scored four goals in 22 games for Doncaster Rovers in League One last season, and will now make the step up under the experienced McCarthy.
“He gives us a bit of balance,” the Ipswich manager told BBC Radio Suffolk. “He’s more of a left-side of midfield player than a flying winger. “He’s very talented, has a wonderful left foot and impressed everybody with his free-kicks and corners in training.”

Idrissa Gueye will make Everton debut this weekend
4 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Kristian Walsh
Everton triggered the £7.1m release clause in the midfielder's contract at Aston Villa
RONALD KOEMAN has confirmed that new signing Idrissa Gueye will make his first Everton appearance against Espanyol this weekend. The Blues finish their pre-season schedule with a home game against the La Liga side and new boy Gueye is set to feature. Everton triggered the £7.1m release clause in the midfielder’s contract at Aston Villa and completed the deal on Tuesday Koeman left Gueye out of Everton’s squad to face Manchester United on Wednesday night but says the Senegal international will do double training sessions today and tomorrow. “It was not an option for me because the boy did his first session on Wednesday morning and he was travelling and he has all the business about the contract,” Koeman told the ECHO. “I left him out but he can get two more sessions today and Friday but he will play on Saturday.” Espanyol represents the manager’s last chance to assess his squad before the start of the new season on August 13 and admits there is room for improvement after the 0-0 draw with United this week. “Maybe it is also a question for Manchester United tonight, if they are really ready,” he said after Wayne Rooney’s testimonial. “We are Everton, of course we had some good things and we had some not good things in our ball position, we lost too many balls in the first-half and to win against them you need to play on a higher level football-wise “We have to learn and we have to improve and next week everybody knows if everybody is ready for the start of the season.”

Everton transfer rumours: Porto star on way?, Niasse blow, new centre-back link
4 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Ian Doyle
A round-up of transfer rumours and speculation from around the web
Yacine Brahimi is the one on the right
Ronald Koeman is confident he can bring in a few new names before the start of the Premier League season next weekend. And could one of them be Yacine Brahimi ? That's if Portuguese news outlet A Bola is to be believed, who say the Blues are one of several clubs tracking the Porto winger.
The Algeria international is set to leave this summer and Everton are apparently in the hunt.
However, the 26-year-old has a buy-out clause of 60million euros and Porto only own half of his economic rights (modern football, eh) which is likely to drive the price up further.
Unlikely.
It's not been a great few days for Oumar Niasse .
First, he isn't handed a squad number by new Everton boss Ronald Koeman.
Then he isn't anywhere to be seen as the Blues ramp up their pre-season preparations.
And now he's seen his hopes of an escape route to Portugal dashed.
Well, that's if we believe Record, who state that Sporting Lisbon have no intention of moving for the Senegalese outcast. No matter, Oumar. Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Hamburg all still want you.
Apparently.
Finally, another one for those who like to join the dots.
The Daily Mail are saying that Swansea are keen on Anderlecht's Senegal defender Kara Mbodji .
for phenomenal? Everton fans - and Romelu Lukaku? - react to Martinez Belgium appointment
This, you might surmise, is because they are about to lose Ashley Williams to Everton.
Swansea, though, need to get cracking, as the £6.25million clause in the player's contract will be up inside the next 24 hours. But the report also suggests Everton are also interested in Mbodji.
And so is new Sunderland manager David Moyes. Blimey. It's like an episode of Columbo. Only without the unnecessary death. And intrigue. And Peter Falk.

John Stones needs to decide 'Man City or Everton' so he can regain his focus and fulfil his potential, says Rio Ferdinand
By Richard Amofa
4 August 2016 Telegraph
Rio Ferdinand believes John Stones needs to resolve his future at Everton so he can focus on reaching his full potential. Stones has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park this summer, with Manchester City his potential destination. And Ferdinand feels that whether the 22-year-old joins up with Pep Guardiola or stays to work under new Everton manager Ronald Koeman, he needs to make a decision in order to focus on his development. "He seems like he’s playing with something on his mind," Ferdinand said. "I know what it’s like. Until your future gets sorted out, it’s difficult. It's a blur. You’re frustrated. "But for him as a young English player, get that decision made quickly so he can start improving as a player." Ferdinand believes Stones's composure on the ball is something that has been lacking from England's defence, and the former Manchester United defender even admitted that Stones's playing style reminded him of himself. However, with extra guidance, he feels that the youngster has the potential to become the fulcrum for both club and country.   "At international level, if you look at the last two tournaments, we haven’t had a player who can bring the ball out of defence, who can put his foot on the ball and go, ‘Right, let me control it a little bit or step into midfield'.
The most expensive football transfers of all time Play!    "Someone like Stones brings something extra to the team. I watched him play for Everton against Manchester United, and he was the only one who was being forceful on the ball and trying to create things for his team-mates.   "I started thinking that he’s got the personality and he wants to be a player. You’ve got to build your team around people like that. That’s where I see a lot of myself in him – I see a lot of what Glenn Hoddle was trying to do with me."
When Ferdinand was 22 he joined Leeds United for £18 million in 2000, before moving to Old Trafford in 2002 for £30 million - a British transfer record at the time. Now, Manchester United are on the verge of breaking the world transfer record fee for Paul Pogba in a deal believed to be £100 million - a fee that Ferdinand has no qualms about. "It's relative," Ferdinand said. "The money that Man United are bringing in now, commercially, allows them to spend that money. "For £100 million you want a player who can develop into someone who can dictate a game in his position. Can he win games on his own and drag his team over the line? Yes, he’s got the potential to do that.   "People said when I went there, ‘it’s too much money for a centre-half’. But then we won and people look back and say ‘it wasn’t that expensive' when we won six Premier League trophies out of 12 years.   "If he goes there for £100 million and they win five out of 10 [Premier League] trophies, you’ll look back and say, ‘Well done, good business’." Meanwhile, Ferdinand revealed that he was interested in being involved in the England set-up before the appointment of Sam Allardyce, and is still open to playing some kind of role should he be called upon. "When football jobs like that become available you’d like to think that you get the opportunity to do that, that it fits around the way you live your life," he said. "I’ve been quite open about how I feel and I’d love to be involved with England at some stage whether it’s now or in the future.   ‘BT Sport is the only place to watch all four major football competitions in one place, with exclusively live coverage of the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and the Emirates FA Cup. Watch Leicester versus Manchester United in FA Community Shield exclusively live on BT Sport 2 from 3.15pm on Sunday August 7. For more information visit bt/com/sport.’

Everton to offer Romelu Lukaku new big-money contract in bid to keep him at Goodison Park
4 Aug 2016 Daily Mirror
By Darren Lewis
Everton don't want to sell their star hitman but the Belgian forward is believed to be keen on working with new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte
In demand: Everton are playing hardball with Chelsea for Lukaku
Everton have offered Romelu Lukaku a new deal worth £135,000-a-week in a bid to keep him from the clutches of Chelsea. The Toffees are trying to hold on to their star striker but Chelsea are determined to secure a deal to take the 23-year-old back to London. Lukaku is understood to be keen on the move, feeling he has “unfinished business” at Stamford Bridge. The Belgian is particularly keen to work with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte. Conte has so far refused to comment on his club’s pursuit but is understood to be confident of landing him. Chelsea are believed to have seen a £57million bid for their former striker knocked back by the Toffees last week, with Everton slapping a £75million price tag on the Belgian international's head. New Everton boss Ronald Koeman has used Lukaku since his return from his summer break - having been part of the Belgium squad at Euro 2016 - a sign that he intends to keep his centre-forward. Lukaku started for the Toffees in Wayne Rooney's testimonial on Wednesday evening, in the 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.

Everton legend Edgar Chadwick's England medal for sale on EBay
5 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Reserve of £1,275 for Everton hero's 15 carat gold medal
A solid 15 CARAT gold medal awarded to Everton legend Edgard Chadwick in 1896/97 is for sale on ebay.
The handsome medal, in excellent condition, has been advertised by a seller called Old Gloryhunter with bidding starting at £1,275. The medal was presented to Chadwick for representing the English Football League against the Scottish Football League, in a match believed to have taken place on April 24, 1897 at Ibrox Park, Glasgow. The package also includes an original page from “Famous Footballers” printed in the 1890s, a photo reprint of the Everton Championship winning team of 1890/91 (with Chadwick highlighted) and an original Ogden’s Cigarette Card from the early 1900s showing Edgar Chadwick as a Southampton player. The front of the medal depicts the crests of the English and Scottish Football Leagues and is embossed “ENGLISH LEAGUE v SCOTTISH LEAGUE”. The obverse is engraved “THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE SEASON 1896/7. ENGLAND v SCOTLAND. E. CHADWICK”.
Old Gloryhunter observes: “As can be seen from the photos this medal from 1897 is in superb condition for its age. “Edgar Chadwick found fame as an Everton player, being in the first ever Football League team and a member of the club’s first ever Championship winning team.
“It is likely this medal will certainly be of interest to fans of Everton’s early history but also to fans of the other teams Chadwick played for and also of course to collectors of early England medals. Good luck with bidding!”
Edgar Chadwick was an Everton original.
Described by Tony Matthews’ ‘Who’s Who of Everton’ as “a master strategist and dribbler”, he was an ever-present in Everton’s first League championship-winning side of 1891.
He celebrated an enormously impressive 104 goals in 300 Everton appearances, but also scored three goals in his seven England appearances - and the reward for one of those appearances has been advertised for sale on ebay. Chadwick signed for Everton in August 1888 from Blackburn Rovers, just in time to feature in the Toffees inaugural league season. Two seasons later Everton were crowned champions with the three main stars of the team being Edgar Chadwick, Fred Geary and Alf Milward.
Geary was top scorer with 20 goals, followed by Milward (12) and Chadwick (10).
Chadwick won his first international cap for England against Wales on 7th March 1891, scoring one of the goals in England’s 4-1 victory. He retained his place in the team that beat Scotland 2-1 the following month, on target once again. He made it three out of three when England beat Scotland 4-1 the following season. After spells at Burnley and Southampton, Chadwick joined Liverpool in May 1902.
He scored seven goals in 43 games before joining Blackpool in 1904.
He also played for Glossop and Darwen before going on to coach in Germany. In 1908 Chadwick became the coach of the Dutch national team that was taking part in the 1908 Olympic Games. Holland were beaten 4-0 by Great Britain in the semi-finals but did beat Sweden 2-0 to win the bronze medal.
Chadwick remained in charge of the Dutch team that participated in the 1912 Olympic Games, again claiming the bronze medal. Chadwick went onto manage the Dutch national team for 24 games, including a 2-1 victory over England on 24 March 1913. Chadwick also coached Sparta to the 1915 Netherlands championship.

Echo legend's prophetic campaign for Everton legend to be honoured
5 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Howard Kendall stand was a thoroughly warranted honour
Former Echo Sports Editor Ken Rogers spent five decades reporting football on Merseyside.
Born and bred in Everton, he observed, reported on and influenced a seismic period in Merseyside football history. And in his latest book “Born Not Manufactured” he lifts the lid on many tales – run-ins with Bill Shankly, sitting in Howard Kendall’s hotel bedroom while a transfer saga unfolded and even quizzing golfing icon Seve Ballesteros about Everton! Born Not Manufactured is published this week and the Echo brings you just some of the hidden gems Ken has penned – including this chapter which proved prophetic. DURING the writing of this book, on October 17, 2015, we lost Everton’s greatest ever manager. Like all Evertonians I was devastated. As a fan, I was fortunate enough to have been able to salute Howard Kendall from the Gwladys Street terraces. As a young journalist, I had the honour of interviewing him as he stormed through games alongside Alan Ball and Colin Harvey to help inspire the legend of Goodison Park’s ‘Holy Trinity’. Later, as the Liverpool Echo’s chief football correspondent, I communicated almost on a daily basis with Howard during his glorious 1980s managerial reign and we became great friends. As soon as I heard he had died, at the age of 69, I was thinking about how the club might remember him. I love going to football grounds that have a real sense of history, stadiums with statues and stands that remind us of giants from the greatest game in the world.
At the time of writing, discussions continue as to how Everton might not only salute Howard, but also Colin Harvey and Alan Ball via a composite ‘Holy Trinity’ statue – a fantastic salute to three remarkable former team-mates. All fans would support this project in every way, but because Howard achieved so much as a player, manager and club servant, I always hoped and prayed that the Blues might name a stand after him. In 2013, I was at Goodison for the launch of Kevin Sheedy’s new book. Journalist and author John Keith, who had worked with Sheeds on the book, was compere for the evening and the audience was delighted when Duncan Ferguson turned up to offer his support.
I was grateful for the opportunity to be able to get to my feet and add some personal thoughts about Kevin whose sweet left foot and quality midfield play was one of the key building blocks of Everton’s unmatchable 1980s side. I also took the opportunity to make a personal point about Howard Kendall while standing within the great man’s stadium of royal blue dreams. I mentioned all of those giants at other clubs who had been granted immortality with statues and stands named after them, and said that the club I had supported and worked with all my life needed to follow suit – and quickly – in Howard’s case. The word ‘quickly’ had nothing to do with any inside knowledge I might have had about his health. I just knew how thrilled Howard would have been to have had such an honour bestowed on him during his lifetime. On the basis that we already had Dixie’s statue, I said that it would be a wonderful thing for Evertonians to be able to sit in and admire a newly named ‘Howard Kendall Stand’. In November, 2014, I found myself at another big Everton event, the annual Ronny Goodlass charity fundraiser at Devonshire House in Edge Hill. Compere for the night Darren Griffiths, from Everton FC’s media team, began to interview the top table guests. With a twinkle in his eye, Darren put me on the spot with a fairly blunt question. “Ken, you worked with Howard, Joe and Harry Catterick, so who was the greatest Everton manager of all time?” I answered it this way: “All three achieved so much for the Blues throughout their careers. Catterick won two league championships and the FA Cup. As manager, Joe inspired that memorable 1995 FA Cup final success over Manchester United, and so I have to thank him on behalf of us all for the part he played that day in providing us with such a wonderful moment, the last Blues boss to achieve a major trophy success. “In the first of three managerial stints, Howard guided us to two championships, one FA Cup, plus the European Cup Winners Cup. Those combined achievements confirm his standing as the greatest Everton boss of all time.” Howard was not on the top table, choosing to sit with some friends and guests in the main body of the room. I looked towards him and added this rider, repeating the statement I had made at the launch of Kevin Sheedy’s book: “In my mind Everton FC should act now and name a stand after Howard Kendall to salute everything he achieved.”
The response from the packed crowd at the Devonshire spoke for itself. I sat down and moments later I caught Howard’s gaze. He smiled and nodded at me in typically modest fashion. It was something he would never have said himself, but I knew just how much such an accolade would have meant to him.
In a room full of Evertonians, I was pleased to have been able to make the point for him. Later, as we said goodnight, he quietly said: “Thanks lad, I appreciated your words.”
Howard Kendall receives a guard of honour before his Goodison testimonial against Athletico Bilbao in 2006 You think your heroes will live forever, from the parents and grandparents who guide you early in life to the sporting heroes who later inspire you. Before it’s too late, it’s always important to tell the people you love and admire how special they are and how much they mean to you. Howard knew how much Evertonians admired him for filling us with such pride and giving us so many wonderful moments.
Immediately after Howard died, I knew the subsequent gathering of the royal blue family at Goodison Park would be hugely emotional, but one image will live with me forever. Watching later on our TV screens, a camera picked up Howard’s brother-in-arms, Colin Harvey, in the Main Stand and his devastation at losing a man he had been through so much with was etched across his face. Colin’s desolation summed up how every Evertonian was feeling at that moment. But when we all think about Howard, we smile and remember his passion for football and his love for Everton. He was astute, he was such fun to be with, and he was a remarkable player and football manager. Postcript: “As soon as Howard passed away the fans were pressing for a Goodison stand to be named after him. On the occasions I was with him just before he died I knew just how much the respect of the supporters meant to him. Thanks to the club’s recent decision we will now be able to sit in the Howard Kendall Stand and remember the greatest era in the club’s history while looking forward positively to the future.”

Everton midfielder Mo Besic ruled out for six months
5 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Devastating blow for popular Everton star
Everton's Mo Besic has been dealt a devastating injury blow on the eve of the new season, revealing he will be ruled out for six months with a knee injury. The popular Bosnian midfielder was helped off just 12 minutes after coming on in Wednesday's Wayne Rooney testimonial match at Old Trafford.
Besic posted a message on his Twitter account this morning which simply read "6 months out! #devastated" He will be missing until at least February. Besic's promising Everton career has been ravaged by a succession of injuries. A hamstring injury sustained against Chelsea last September ruled him out for four months, then a recurrence sidelined him again until March.

Everton transfer rumours: Blues to offer Lukaku bumper new deal
5 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Joe Rimmer
A round-up of transfer rumours and speculation from around the web
Everton will offer Romelu Lukaku a huge wage increase in order to persuade the Belgian to stay put at Goodison Park, that's according to reports today. According to the Daily Mirror, the Toffees are prepared to offer Lukaku £135,000 a week to ensure his future remains at Goodison Park.
Chelsea have been heavily linked with a move for their former forward, but the two clubs have so far been unable to agree a fee - with Everton's reported £75m asking price proving a stumbling block.
Everton are under no pressure to sell and a new deal could ensure Lukaku stays put this summer.
Elsewhere today, and German newspaper BILD reports that Julian Draxler will only leave Wolfsburg for a Champions League club. The German midfielder had been linked with a move to Everton, but BILD say that the 23-year-old is eyeing the likes of Juventus, Arsenal and Real Madrid. The Germany international has a £63m release clause in his contract. And finally, former Everton defender Shkodran Mustafi is subject of a bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea. The German defender, who was released by David Moyes, is currently at Valencia - but could leave the club for £25m this summer.

Besic injury - Who could Everton sign to replace the cult hero midfielder?
5 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Kristian Walsh
Besic was set to be a big squad player under Koeman - so now what happens?
What began as an innocuous hobble from the Old Trafford pitch has somehow transformed into Everton’s midfield becoming even more depleted. One of Ronald Koeman’s top priorities was addressing his options in the middle – or rather, his lack of them - and has already secured Idrissa Gueye in an attempt to strengthen that area. But Mo Besic’s knee injury, which he claims will see him miss the next six months of action, has sent the Dutchman back to square one. The Bosnian is still an improving player, by no means the finished article. Indeed, the injury is probably a bigger blow to the player than the club, as he will miss out on the first six months of Koeman’s league campaign – and all the development that comes with it, both on the training field and the Goodison pitch.
What now for the Blues?
Last season, only James McCarthy had a better pass accuracy and tackle success from midfield, while no first-team regular stopped more counter attacks than the 23-year-old. Then, the contributions that cannot be measured by metrics; his relationship with the fans and his passion for the royal blue shirt.
Besic is not a top player yet, but these first six months of Koeman’s reign would have helped to shape him. Everton now need a reliable, tough-tackling midfielder who utilises the ball well. Some would argue Gueye is that already - but Besic would have been a strong squad option, if nothing else.
Koeman was always likely to enter the market for another midfielder anyway but now, if he decides to fill the gap Besic leaves, he may need two. Proven players, the likes of Axel Witsel and Kevin Strootman - two players who have interested the Blues boss this summer - would be automatic picks.
What any Besic replacement would bring is a solid option for the squad, and a player the fans could associate with. Here are some players who Koeman could look at if he wants to replace Besic in the short-term. Southampton's Oriol Romeu in action during the Barclays Premier League match at the St Mary's Stadium, Southampton
From home
Oriol Romeu (Southampton): He was brought to St Mary’s by Koeman last summer and very much fulfilled a ‘Besic’ role for him at the Saints in 2015/16. Made 29 league appearances, but only 17 from the start – the 24-year-old is a tough operator with plenty of bite in midfield.
Beram Kayal (Brighton): The Israeli international was a key part of Brighton’s push for promotion last season, so would be difficult to tempt from the Seagulls. He was one of the Championship’s top tacklers last season and became a cult hero during his five years with Celtic. Yussuf Mulumbu (Norwich): Has proven his capability as a Premier League player, although an injury-hit campaign only saw him feature fleetingly for the relegated Canaries last season. A decent, powerful holding midfielder.
Sunderland's Yann M'Vila
From abroad
Yann M’Vila (Rubin Kazan): Spent last season on loan with Sunderland and proved one of their better players. Would be looking to leave Russia and, if Rubin were open to another loan deal, would make sense for both parties. Marvelous Nakamba (Vitesse): Well, why not have a look at the Eredivisie? Koeman will naturally know the league, and this Zimbabwe international made more tackles than any other player in the league last season. Plus, his name is Marvelous.
Already at the club
Tom Davies: He’s impressed at right back during pre-season, but the 18-year-old’s long-term future is in central midfield. Showed against Norwich on the final day of 2015/16 what he’s capable of, and deserves a place on the bench while Besic recovers. Ryan Ledson: Fallen down the pecking order recently, but does have League Two experience under his belt with Cambridge. Still only 18, he has a chance to stake his claim.

Who the club have wanted: Zenit and Belgium man Axel Witsel is someone the Blues would like to see in midfield, but the deal continues to appear complicated. Kevin Strootman, of Roma, is another midfielder with vast European experience being targeted by Koeman. Who the fans want: Witsel had the support salivating, but their enthusiasm has waned as the saga dragged on. Many Blues would like to see a more creative, goalscoring midfielder arrive at the club; one with a bit more dynamism. What the statistics say: Borja Valero was one of Europe’s most creative midfielders last season, making 70 key passes and registering six assists for Fiorentina. The Spaniard fits the mould of the all-action midfielder Everton need. With a pass accuracy of 89% as well, he’s a player who treats the ball with respect.
ATTACKING MIDFIELDER
Who the club have wanted: In the past, Yevhen Konoplyanka. But with the arrival of Koeman, interest appears to have cooled. Ross Barkley is considered their main man between the lines, with the likes of Gerard Deulofeu and Kevin Mirallas supporting out wide, but is it enough? Manchester United’s Juan Mata has been linked throughout the summer. Who the fans want: The Mata links brought plenty of excitement from Evertonians, while Wesley Sneijder is another name who the Blues would be keen on seeing at Goodison Park. A player who can score and create, essentially. What the statistics say: Only one player created more chances than Hakim Ziyech in the Eredivisie last season, with the Twente man making 81 key passes. He also managed 10 assists, while possessing the league’s highest successful dribble rate, too.
STRIKER
Who the club have wanted: Graziano Pelle was an early target, with Koeman hoping for a reunion, but was ultimately lured by the megabucks of China. Arkadiusz Milik also was wanted, but he moved to Napoli as Gonzalo Higuain’s replacement.
Who the fans want: A goalscorer, ultimately, whether that’s to replace or support Romelu Lukaku. Carlos Bacca is one name often mentioned, with Javier Hernandez also somebody a number of Blues would welcome. What the statistics say: Alexandre Lacazette scored 21 league goals from just 95 shots for Lyon last season – a phenomenal success rate. In terms of top European strikers who hit 20 goals or more, he is by far the most obtainable. Although that Lionel Messi fella sounds good, too...

Everton transfer targets - what's left to do and the players who could do it
5 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Kristian Walsh
A look at what remains for Ronald Koeman has to do this summer - and who could fill the gaps
Who the club, the fans and the statisticians want
There is just a week to go until Everton’s Premier League season starts, and just two new faces have come through Finch Farm. Maarten Stekelenburg and Idrissa Gueye represent two astute buys, both filling a gap that existed in the squad. Stekelenburg represents a steady, experienced goalkeeper, while Gueye brings a tireless defensive solidity to the midfield that lacked last season.
But more is needed, undoubtedly.
Ronald Koeman himself knows this. “We’re working hard to bring in good players,” he said after the pre-season draw with Manchester United. “It’s not respectful to talk about players who are not players of Everton, but we hope to bring some new players in as soon as possible.”
Many players needed, and in many positions.
The club have been targeting and monitoring a number. The fans, likewise, have their own ideas on who they would like to see wearing the royal blue. And then, of course, is the players who fit in statistically. Much was made of Gueye’s volume of tackles and interceptions, coming second only to N’Golo Kante last season, highlighting just how useful stats can be. Here is a run-down of which positions still need strengthening, and who could be in line to do it.
Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel
GOALKEEPER
Who the club have wanted: Kasper Schmeichel is one of the club’s top goalkeeping targets, though he is reportedly closing in on a new deal with Leicester City. Ajax’s Jasper Cillessen is another option, but it looks unlikelier with Ajax remaining in the Champions League. Tim Krul was attracting interest earlier in the summer, too. Who the fans want: Interest in Schmeichel was met positively, while another Premier League star, Jack Butland, is also a name often mentioned. Supporters have been impressed with what the Stoke stopper showed at the Britannia Stadium before his injury. What the statistics say: Vincent Enyeama of Lille managed to keep 18 clean sheets last season, which placed him in the top five. He was also in the top 30 for saves made, highlighting he wasn’t simply protected by a strong defence, and could keep the ball out when required.
CENTRE BACK
Who the club have wanted: Ashley Williams remains a strong target for the Blues, having had a £10m bid rejected by Swansea. They will return with a higher bid, however. Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly was also on their radar, though the Senegalese international is said to be worth around £40m, with Chelsea also interested. Who the fans want: The defender in the mould of Williams would be welcome. Evertonians would like to see a no-nonsense character, a leader, at the back. The likes of Ryan Shawcross and Scott Dann have also been mooted by Blues. What the statistics say: No defender won more aerial duels than Virgil van Dijk last season – a player who Koeman brought to the Premier League in the first place. With 158 won, he was 15 clear of his nearest competitor, Jannik Vestergaard. Van Dijk also finished fourth for clearances in 2015/16.
BACK UP RIGHT BACK:
Who the club have wanted: It has been mostly quiet on this front. Ajax man Ricardo van Rhijn was seemingly a target in January, but it isn’t deemed a priority. With just Seamus Coleman as a recognised right back at the club, perhaps it should be. Who the fans want: Anybody, really. Plenty have noticed the lack of options if Coleman was to be injured – a situation which is somehow even worse with Tony Hibbert’s departure. What the statistics say: Looking at the Championship, 35-year-old Bruno was a big chance creator at Brighton. He was also in the league’s top 10 in terms of tackles won. He might be old, but would only be serving as back up to Coleman anyway.
EFC transfer rumours 05.08
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CENTRAL MIDFIELDER
Who the club have wanted: Zenit and Belgium man Axel Witsel is someone the Blues would like to see in midfield, but the deal continues to appear complicated. Kevin Strootman, of Roma, is another midfielder with vast European experience being targeted by Koeman. Who the fans want: Witsel had the support salivating, but their enthusiasm has waned as the saga dragged on. Many Blues would like to see a more creative, goalscoring midfielder arrive at the club; one with a bit more dynamism. What the statistics say: Borja Valero was one of Europe’s most creative midfielders last season, making 70 key passes and registering six assists for Fiorentina. The Spaniard fits the mould of the all-action midfielder Everton need. With a pass accuracy of 89% as well, he’s a player who treats the ball with respect.
Manchester United's Juan Mata (left) with manager Jose Mourinho after the pre-season friendly match at the DW Stadium, Wigan. Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
ATTACKING MIDFIELDER
Who the club have wanted: In the past, Andriy Yarmolenko. But with the arrival of Koeman, interest appears to have cooled. Ross Barkley is considered their main man between the lines, with the likes of Gerard Deulofeu and Kevin Mirallas supporting out wide, but is it enough? Manchester United’s Juan Mata has been linked throughout the summer. Who the fans want: The Mata links brought plenty of excitement from Evertonians, while Wesley Sneijder is another name who the Blues would be keen on seeing at Goodison Park. A player who can score and create, essentially. What the statistics say: Only one player created more chances than Hakim Ziyech in the Eredivisie last season, with the Twente man making 81 key passes. He also managed 10 assists, while possessing the league’s highest successful dribble rate, too.
STRIKER
Who the club have wanted: Graziano Pelle was an early target, with Koeman hoping for a reunion, but was ultimately lured by the megabucks of China. Arkadiusz Milik also was wanted, but he moved to Napoli as Gonzalo Higuain’s replacement. Who the fans want: A goalscorer, ultimately, whether that’s to replace or support Romelu Lukaku. Carlos Bacca is one name often mentioned, with Javier Hernandez also somebody a number of Blues would welcome. What the statistics say: Alexandre Lacazette scored 21 league goals from just 95 shots for Lyon last season – a phenomenal success rate. In terms of top European strikers who hit 20 goals or more, he is by far the most obtainable. Although that Lionel Messi fella sounds good, too...

Royal Blue: Has Everton timing of Martinez sacking led to summer transfer frustration?
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Kristian Walsh
Koeman's bright new era will not have many new players - and it all stems back to the spring
Ronald Koeman will stride out at Goodison Park for the first time this afternoon.
The final pre-season friendly before the new Premier League campaign, the home game against Espanyol marks the first chance for the home support to see, first-hand, the first knocking of what the bright new era holds. In the stands, Farhad Moshiri – in spirit, if not in body - after overseeing his first summer since becoming the club’s majority shareholder. In the dugout, Koeman, who will flanked by his brother Erwin and fitness coach Jan Kluitenberg. Operating above them, watching on, Steve Walsh – the club’s director of football, a catalyst for the change that is envisioned. And on the pitch, a litany of new players; a squad bankrolled by Moshiri, recruited by Walsh and shaped in Koeman’s vision.
This is how it was supposed to be, at least.
But this is how the reality of Saturday’s game with Espanyol will go.
Moshiri will still be watching, though it is unclear if the billionaire will be in the stands.
Koeman and his new backroom staff will look on from the dugout, with Walsh still scheming over new arrivals. The players? Well, that is where this utopian narrative ends. For the first summer in a long time, optimism engulfed the club. A rich owner with high ambition who sought, and succeeded, in poaching a top coach from a Premier League. A clear vision of where the club was heading – upwards, mainly – with a structure in place to implement it.
And yet, with the first Goodison game of Koeman’s reign, and with just seven days until the Premier League opener against Tottenham, only Maarten Stekelenburg and Idrissa Gueye represent new blood. Both will serve a crucial purpose, but neither offer much excitement. Some fans are getting twitchy. Understandable, though it would also be worth offering a reminder that the window does not close for another three-and-a-half weeks. Still, Everton could start the new campaign with just one evident upgrade – Gueye and his work in defensive midfield - on last season’s team, a team which finished 11th. Little wonder there are grumbles of discontent. The club are trying, of course. Their lack of tangible activity does not reflect a disinterest behind the scenes. Work is ongoing, continuously, to make the team – and squad – good enough to challenge. But when theorising over why Everton have been almost dormant in the transfer window this summer – the sort of players they are going for, the increased competition for their signatures and those devilish agents at work – there is thing that needs to be considered.
Were the Blues too slow to sack Roberto Martinez?
Koeman did not arrive as Blues boss until June 14. Still two months before the season starts, granted, but the first indication Everton wanted Koeman came on the day Martinez departed on May 12.

Acquiring Koeman was a tricky, drawn out process, one that ultimately took a month to sort. These things can happen. In which case, if Everton had intended to change management towards the end of the season, waiting until a 3-0 defeat away to Sunderland in the penultimate fixture may have been too late. Everton’s campaign effectively ended with defeat to Manchester United at Wembley in April, and there are some suggestions from supporters this is when the club should have decided to part company with the manager. Decisions on the general restructure of how the club operates – which, eventually, would lead to Walsh’s appointment a fortnight ago - could have been in the pipeline from that moment, and perhaps sealed by May, giving Everton a much longer period to identify, and obtain, transfer targets. Some will decree this to wise after the event, that these pages did not scream for Martinez’s sacking at the time. True, but that was when the club’s intentions were unclear. This is not necessarily about the aptitude of the former manager, or whether the Catalan should have remained at Goodison.
It could be that it took the Sunderland defeat to finally make the decision, of course – but it was always going to have a knock-on effect for the summer. Not until then did Everton begin to conduct their search for a new manager, and consequently consider the director of football set-up.
Koeman did not arrive until June, but vitally, Walsh did not arrive until July.
His arrival would not have happened under Martinez, with the Catalan resolute in how the club should operate. Until his dismissal, no plans could be made for a director of football – whether that was Walsh, Monchi, whoever. And now Walsh is in, he’s wasted little time in acquiring Gueye, with more to come.
In theory, it could have been far sooner. It wasn’t.
There is still plenty of reason for optimism at Everton. Moshiri’s ambition will not be met in a matter of months; it is a long-term project that will not be made or broken in just one transfer window.
Everton still have time to do deals, even if they are not in place for the Spurs game, and the potential improvement Koeman will bring on the current crop of players from training alone should not be ignored. But the club’s reticence in the spring has led to summer frustration, for now. It’s for Koeman to lift some of that against Espanyol and beyond, and offer a reminder to why there was such a buzz to begin with.

Tony Hibbert reveals anger at Everton departure
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Long-serving defender says 'The People's Club' is now a “ruthless, horrible business”
Tony Hibbert has revealed his “hurt” over the manner in which he left Everton .
And the long-serving former Blues full-back reckons ‘The People’s Club’ has been replaced by a “ruthless, horrible business”. In a brutally honest interview with the Daily Mail, Hibbert has opened up about his departure from the club this summer. Hibbert was out of contract at the end of June and says he was released without anyone at Everton telling him so. “I was in Formby with my dad and brother when my wife Samantha rang to say she’d been getting text messages from friends that I wasn’t being retained. It was on the website,” Hibbert said. I couldn’t believe it so I rang a friend at the club to check.
“They said, “Tony, I honestly don’t know why nobody has spoken to you”. I contacted Leon and he was in exactly the same boat. “I won’t tell a lie, I was really hurt. Surely someone at the club should’ve realised it wasn’t right. I’d rather have been told at any point during the season there wouldn’t be a contract so I’d have a chance to plan my future and say a proper farewell. No player deserves that whether they’ve been at a club for five minutes or 25 years. “In what other job would someone be let go or fired without a senior manager talking and explaining what was happening? I never got that and I honestly don’t know why. I didn’t get the chance to properly say goodbye to the fans.” The 35-year-old was dogged by injuries during the final few seasons of an Everton first-team career that began in 2001 and managed just 45 minutes last term. Hibbert is currently recovering from ankle ligament damage and looking to find a new club once he is fit again. He has been allowed to do his rehab at Finch Farm but only in the afternoon when the first-team have finished training, the Mail article says.
“It’s hard for me to go in. It’s a horrible feeling,’ Hibbert said. “I feel embarrassed. Everything from the club feels like a new smack in the face. My wife is even angrier at how I’ve been treated.” But Hibbert says since David Moyes left the club in 2013, the place hasn’t ever felt the same. “Every contract I had at Everton, I never questioned it or demanded more money,” he says. “I have never kicked up a storm even as a kid. But since David Moyes left (in 2013), I have noticed the club hasn’t got the same feeling.
“The People’s Club, it’s no longer that. It’s a ruthless, horrible business and a lot of good people have gone. “I understand a new manager wants to work a different way but it is a dog-eat-dog culture inside the club now. People are only looking out for themselves.”

Tony Hibbert - Everton fans react to veteran's comments about Goodison departure
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Joe Rimmer
Right-back slammed the club's treatment of both him and Leon Osman
Everton fans are split on whether they agree with Tony Hibbert after the long-serving full-back slammed the club over their treatment of him this summer. Hibbert told the Daily Mail of his disappointment at how his release from Goodison Park was handled, saying 'The Peoples' Club' has been replaced by a 'ruthless, horrible business'. Plenty of Everton fans expressed sympathy for Hibbert - but others saw his release as part and parcel of modern football.
Peter Brown: Tony Hibbert is one of the luckiest men alive a bang average footballer getting paid millions for living the dream and playing for the club he loved as a kid. He's more famous for not scoring a goal than anything else. Personally my lasting memory of him will be him disintegrating in the Wembley sun in 2009 it should have been over for him after that but Everton still continued to pay him over a million a year for the next 7 years . And he wants us to feel sorry for him? NOT A CHANCE .
Moral of the story is you don't bite the hand that feeds you. Enjoy the weekend everyone....UP THE TOFFEES
Andrew Hawes: Hibbert's comments are a disgrace as most people agree he was one very lucky boy to make a living from football with his very limited ability , shows more about what kind of person he is than what Everton football club is about . At least his comments will ensure He doesn't return to the club in any capacity, what could he teach a talented left back ?? Nothing.
Ian McCabe: Maybe got one contract too many anyway. Been a long time since Hibbert was premier league quality. Probably got 3 years more than any other top club would have given him.
Sonny Ando: See Kenwright for your apology, don't blame the whole club for making you a millionaire as a very average footballer, done nothing for yrs....Out of order...
Stu Yates: If I'd offered so little in a job for 4 years and my contract was up id assume I wasn't getting a new one so can't really see his gripe. If he wasn't a blue he'd of been sold years ago.
Tim Cardy: Maybe he should have been told, but there was no way he was going to be a starter. Can't blame the club when he was a sick note for so long. Especially when EFC still paid Hibbo's wages with no chance to play. Ego playing a part here, and I am disappointed that he made those comments.
Michael Anthony Casanova: Hibbert's ability and wages aside, i'd be miffed if I had to call my place of work of over two decades to find out I had been let go. Deserves a phone call at the very least.

Idrissa Gueye debut for Everton v Espanyol, while Stekelenburg starts ahead of Robles
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Ronald Koeman reverts to a back-four against Espanyol
Everton's new £7.1m midfielder Idrissa Gueye will make his debut today against Espanyol in the club's final pre-season game of the summer. The Senegal international has been included in a strong XI by Ronald Koeman, who also includes John Stones and Romelu Lukaku in the line-up against the La Liga outfit. Everton's only other signing of the summer, goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, also starts ahead of Joel Robles, but skipper Phil Jagielka has only been able to make the bench. After an experiement with three at the back on Wednesday at Manchester United, Koeman's selection appeared to be a return to a back-four. Gueye will anchor the midfield along with veteran Gareth Barry and ahead of them Gerard Deulofeu keeps his place in the team despite a poor performance in Wayne Rooney's testimonial against Manchester United on Wednesday night. Kevin Mirallas also starts - as does Ross Barkley - and Everton fans will hope to see an improved display from wantaway striker Lukaku, who leads the attack.
Everton (v @RCDEspanyol) Stekelenburg, Baines, Stones, Coleman, Funes Mori, Barkley, Gana, Barry, Deulofeu, Lukaku, Mirallas.Subs: Joel, Jagielka, Oviedo, Holgate, Galloway, McCarthy, Davies, Kone, Lennon, Tarashaj.

Pre-season has been 'most frustrating' of Everton captain Phil Jagielka's career
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Ronald Koeman was the manager we wanted says skipper Phil Jagielka
Everton captain Phil Jagielka says this pre-season has been the "most frustrating" of his career.
The 33-year-old has yet to feature this summer after picking up a hamstring injury during the Blues' training camp in Austria. Jagielka is back in the squad for today's final pre-season friendly against Espanyol at Goodison and now faces a race to be passed fully fit for the visit of Spurs a week today.
"For me, personally, this has been the most frustrating pre-season I have ever had," Jagielka said.
"There is never a good time to pick up an injury, of course, but when it comes before the first friendly in a summer when you've got a new manager then it's even worse.
"As soon as I felt my hamstring pop in Austria I knew it wasn't good for me.
"But these things happen in football and all I can do is take my time, listen to the physios and work as hard as I can to get back to full fitness." Jagielka, meanwhile, says new manager Ronald Koeman has made his impact felt at Goodison already. "He has made a great impression on everyone at the club since he arrived and we are all really looking forward to working with him and his staff this season," he added. "Everyone knows about his achievements as a player and as a coach and when the various names were being bandied about after Roberto left the club, Ronald was the one we wanted."

Everton 0-1 Espanyol full-time report: Blues defeated in Koeman's first match at Goodison Park
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Leo Baptistao's sixth-minute penalty hands visitors victory
Everton finished their pre-season campaign with defeat to Espanyol in Ronald Koeman's first game in charge at Goodison. Leonardo Baptistao's sixth minute penalty was enough for the La Liga side to earn the win in front of just 12,080 at the Old Lady. New signing Idrissa Gueye gave away the spot-kick but otherwise impressed on his debut after sealing a move from Aston Villa earlier in the week.
Everton wasted the chance to equalise just before half-time after Gerard Deulofeu won a penalty but Ross Barkley's well struck effort was excellently saved by Espanyol goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez.
The Spaniard's No1 was also equal to a curling Romelu Lukaku effort mid-way through the first-half but was largely untroubled throughout a low-key friendly. Lukaku would later limp off after picking up what appeared to be a heel injury and went straight down the tunnel for treatment. Captain Phil Jagielka, though, made his first appearance of the summer when he replaced Ramiro Funes Mori at the break.

Everton return to Goodison in a week's time when they face Spurs in their opening Premier League game of the season.

Everton 0-1 Espanyol player ratings: New boy is man of match but one forward scores only 4
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Idrissa Gueye catches the eye on home debut
Maarten Stekelenburg 6
Steady. A touch too slow off his line at times and his kicking accuracy isn't the best but commanding from set pieces.
Seamus Coleman 6
Plenty of over-lapping in a typically industrious outing but his crossing remains inconsistent.
John Stones 7
Impressive. Didn't put a foot wrong and looked fully focused.
Ramiro Funes Mori 5
Unconvincing in the air and booked for a poorly mistimed tackle. Can see why the pursuit of Ashley Williams is ongoing.
Leighton Baines 7
Looked back to his dependable self just in time for the new campaign. Defended admirably and got forward with far more impact than previously this summer.
Idrissa Gueye 8
Hugely promising debut. Gave away an early penalty but flourished after that; combining incessant work with some vital interceptions and clever distribution which wasn't just sideways either.
Gareth Barry 6
Helped the new-boy settle in alongside him and had some bright moments early in the first half before fading.
Gerard Deulofeu 4
Plenty of the ball but no end product. Showed a flicker of what he can do in winning the penalty but otherwise disappointing again as that momentum of early summer dwindles.
Ross Barkley 6
Some characteristic surges up the pitch which left opponents trailing in his wake but decision-making could have been better.
Romelu Lukaku 5
Starved of much in the way of decent service due to ineffectual wide play he struggled. Forced a great save with a powerful left footed shot in the first half. With reinforcements thin on the ground let's hope his injury isn't serious.
Kevin Mirallas 5
Equally as useless in the final third as Deulofeu but off the ball he worked slightly harder. Otherwise he'll be disappointed he couldn't create anything against a mid-table La Liga team.
SUBS
Tom Davies (for Gueye, 71) 7
Much more like the dynamic, fearless player who burst onto the scene at the end of last term. Appeared to have brushed off the inconsistent displays of earlier in pre-season and looked bright and sharp, linking well with Barkley.
Phil Jagielka (Funes Mori, 45) 6
Not over-worked but this will count as vital game time as he seeks to build fitness.
Arouna Kone (Lukaku, 64) 5
Little impact but came short often, at least trying to show for the ball.
Mason Holgate (Stones, 64) 6
Neat, tidy and unfazed as ever. Looks ready to play his part this season.
James McCarthy (Barry, 64) 6
Busy and combative but needs to back himself to play the ball forward more often.
Aaron Lennon (Deulofeu, 64) 5
Didn't make an impact but not the only winger to disappoint today.

Everton fans react to Espanyol defeat
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Joe Rimmer
Blues fans left frustrated after another pre-season defeat
Everton fans were left begging Ronald Koeman to make more signings after the final game of pre-season ended in a 1-0 defeat to Espanyol. Leo Baptistao's sixth-minute penalty gave the Spanish side the victory after Idrissa Gueye, Koeman's only outfield signing this summer, gave the spot kick away.
Ross Barkley would then miss a penalty after Gerard Deulofeu was tripped in the first half and Everton failed to make the breakthrough. Fans are now desperate to see Farhad Moshiri splash the cash ahead of next weekend's Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park.
Here's how fans reacted on social media:
    Buy two strikers and send Kone out on loan to Vauxhall motors
    — George Wall (@Gwall91) August 6, 2016
    If he didn't already know it Koeman is now aware of the magnitude of the task at EFC. There was nothing from that performance to leave me
    — Ric George (@Ric__George) August 6, 2016
    ...anything but fearful about the new season. Must get some new players. Good ones! That's if any will come...
    — Ric George (@Ric__George) August 6, 2016
    Baines not being on penalty duty is bizarre. Even if he doesn't want to take them, Koeman should make him
    — Rhod Cannon (@RhodriCannon) August 6, 2016
    Not surprising we can't even create a chance since it's the same sodding players. If only you were allowed to bring in new players preseason
    — Rob Rimmer (@robr7373) August 6, 2016
    Everton lose, fans are fuming, and my house is under siege from hordes of flying ants. What a day.
    — ViewFromTheKendall (@ViewFromGwladys) August 6, 2016
    Fortress Goodison.
    — EFC Feelin Blue (@EFCFeelinBlue) August 6, 2016
    Full Time: Everton 0-1 Espanyol.
    Decent run out for Everton.
    Signings needed to give players and fans a boost before the season starts.
    — Tony Scott (@Tony_Scott11) August 6, 2016
    "Don't worry Dave, it'll get sorted." #EFC
    — David Downie (@daviddownie17) August 6, 2016
    Always thought pre season was a great chance to gel in new signings instead of just throwing them in come the start of the PL.
    — Joe | EFC Graphics (@JoeDoesDesigns) August 6, 2016
    Still missing about 5 players needed for the squad
    — TheToffeeBlues (@EvertonNewsFeed) August 6, 2016
    Honestly think we'll be battling relegation this season. We look absolutely abysmal. Nothings changed.
    — Paul O'Mara (@PaulEFC86) August 6, 2016
Craig Mills: Thought we were very poor again today and why Baines isn't taking penalty kicks is still a mystery to me. We have one striker who isn't interested and now appears injured. Spurs beat Inter Milan 6-1 yesterday and we get beat of this dross, they'll wipe the floor with us if we play like this. Unfortunately this pre season has a feeling of deja vu........and it's not good.
Kevin Everton Milner: Very poor again you can see failings all over the park, if Lukaku is injured going into season with Kone is simply unreal when we were promised change. I ain't seen any which is poor. Feeling let down again.
Chris Scarratt: Basically a disaster then. Can't believe we haven't made more signings. In desperate need of another 3 or 4 new faces to revitalise this tired team but here we are with a week to go and same old story.
Steve Barker: Big big week now for Walsh and Koeman. Can't be watching this every week! Pre-season or not, if we were in the Europa we'd be fooked! Had plenty of time now to assess.... Stop digging heels in with Lukaku, he doesn't want to be here. Take Remy and the cash! Massive playmaker needed! Where is the statement signing?
Paul Darlington: Koeman is no mug and the whole point of the friendlies for him after being brought in way after the end of the season is to properly assess the players he has got! He now knows!

Everton manager Ronald Koeman gives injury update after Romelu Lukaku limps off
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
Lukaku has three stitches in heel injury
RONALD KOEMAN remains optimistic that Romelu Lukaku will be passed fit for Everton's Premier League curtain raiser with Spurs. The Blues forward sustained a heel injury early in the second-half of today's pre-season friendly against Espanyol at Goodison. Arouna Kone replaced Lukaku, who had hobbled off the pitch before heading straight down the tunnel to receive treatment. Koeman has confirmed that the £28m striker has had three stitches on a cut and allayed fears the 23-year-old would be a doubt for next weekend's league opener. "Yes, it is his heel," Koeman told the ECHO. "There was a lot of blood on his ankle and and he had had three stitches." He added: "No, normally he is not a doubt (for next weekend)." Koeman was able to call upon captain Phil Jagielka for the first time this summer after a hamstring problem kept him out of their friendly schedule. Jagielka replaced Ramiro Funes Mori at half-time for his first 45 minutes of the summer and Koeman will give his skipper every chance to prove himself fit to start against Spurs. "It is always difficult if you lose two or three weeks in the pre-season and you can't train with the team it means you are a little bit behind the rest of the players," Koeman said. "But with more experienced players they know really the game, they have that kind of mentality and it is different in his situation than it is normally for a young player."

Everton 0 Espanyol 1: Koeman needs physical presence and quickly
6 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Everton manager needs to act quickly
In a week we'll know for sure.
When the Premier League going gets tough with the arrival of Tottenham Hotpsur to Goodison we'll know if Everton are tough enough to get going. The growing suspicion, however, on the back of their defeat to Espanyol this afternoon, is that they might not be. There have been doubts over their mental strength for some time, brought on by their nasty habit for a late collapse, but as the Blues signed off for pre-season with a limp 1-0 loss there are now concerns over Everton's physicality too. Ronald Koeman is still working with the squad, almost exclusively, that he inherited from Roberto Martinez and he wants to add new faces before the close of the transfer window.   But nothing that he saw in his first game at Goodison will dissuade him from stepping up that process this week and until the end of the month.
It may seem overly simplistic to say that this side are lacking in power, speed and athleticism in key areas but as Espanyol, at times, out-muscled the Blues, there can be little denying that they crave a presence. Koeman is sure to have looked at Everton's performance and been concerned - or maybe it simply reaffirmed what he already knew.   His Southampton side were, amongst many things, solid, hard to beat, organised and robust. Spurs showed themselves all of that last season as Mauricio Pochettino's side relentlessly constructed a title charge and as many of his squad stoop as they make their way through the confines of Goodison next weekend, one thing is for sure at kick-off: they'll have a presence.
On this evidence, you'd worry that Everton would be able to cope or, at least, trouble one of the division's meanest defences from last season. You see Espanyol, who finished 13th in La Liga last term, are hardly a gang of hard cases or hatchet men, they are a team that plays in that typically Spanish-style.
They're an outfit comprised of players who are comfortable on the ball, who look to play intricate football between the lines as they did in flashes at Goodison today.
Competitive? Sure. But a band of grizzly enforcers? Not a chance.
Yet Everton, from England's supposedly uncompromising top flight, were rarely the ones doing the pushing around. If the past two seasons have taught Blues fans anything is that there is an abundance of natural talent in their squad - but also a lack a grittiness. Swansea City captain Ashley Williams, of whom Everton have had £10m bid rejected, would add that to their backline while Idrissa Gueye's debut performance (the conceding of a penalty aside) showed the midfield what they have been missing.
At 5'7” he also proved that you don't need to be a man mountain to add steel to a team.
You don't need to be a man mountain to add steel to a team.
But it is upfront and in the wide areas that Everton feel all too powder-puff.
When Romelu Lukaku really fancies it (and today wasn't exactly one of those days) he can bully, batter and bruise defenders but he simply cannot do it by himself. With Oumar Niasse now an Everton outcast and Arouna Kone offering unconvincing support, Koeman knows he needs to beef up his forward line.
Too many times the ball wouldn't stick, too many times they'd struggle to handle opposition defenders paying them close attention and they spent far too long on the periphery. Koeman had utilised forward players of their ilk at Southampton last season but he also relied heavily on the bulk of Graziano Pelle and Charlie Austin or the pace and power of Shane Long. Not players in the top bracket of attackers but ones with similar characteristics, with the same type of work-ethic and desire.
Players with presence? For sure.
The new season starts next weekend but Everton have until the end of the month to ensure they are fully equipped until January at least.   Koeman knows the Blues needs to make every second count.

Football Echoes: Everton deny move for Klinsmann
7 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Chris Beesley
Royle insisted Blues were fine up front after Kanchelskis' four-goal blast
2006
A decade ago Everton's injury-jinxed striker James Vaughan was poised to take a significant step towards a return to action by resuming full training with the first team. The youngest goalscorer in the club's history had spent the past year battling to overcome a serious knee problem that required him to visit renowned surgeon Dr Richard Steadman in the USA.
James Vaughan, Everton

Manager David Moyes said: “James is due to start training in the next week but it will be a slow return for him rather than us rushing him back. “We will take it easy with him but it will be good to see him again. “He would have been playing by now and would have been in the first team squad. We know he has a talent and the hard thing for him has been missing a crucial year of his development.
“He has missed playing against experienced professionals and missed a year training with the first team but we will do our best to get that back once we can get him towards full fitness.”
Top of the charts: Hips Don't Lie by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean
1996
Joe Royle rubbished speculation that Jurgen Klinsmann was an Everton transfer target as the Blues were already blessed with enough talent up front. The striker had proven a big hit at Tottenham Hotspur in the 1994/95 season – netting 30 times in 50 games – but had returned to Germany after a single year to join Bayern Munich the previous summer. The World Cup winner had also been linked with a switch to Blackburn Rovers but Royle said: “We are playing two out-and-out strikers in Duncan Ferguson and Andrei Kanchelskis and we are not suffering for goals.
Christian Gross reckoned he'd pulled a cracker when he persuaded Jurgen Klinsmann to return to Tottenham “We were fourth top scorers in the Premiership last season, we've scored three at Aberdeen, four last night [a 4-3 win at Wrexham in which Kanchelskis got the lot], two against Borussia Moenchengladbach and should have had many more against Liverpool [In the Sir John Moore Centenary Tournament]. “Klinsmann is a forward player of exceptional quality and I have the highest respect for him, but I also have to look at the balance of the side. Klinsmann is not for us at the moment.”
Top of the charts: Wannabe by The Spice Girls
1986
Everton were reassured that utility men Alan Harper and Kevin Richardson appeared to be staying at the Blues for another season. Both players had previously refused to sign new contracts in the hope of obtaining regular first team places at other clubs but with no offers received, the pair were expected to put pen to paper when Everton returned from their pre-season tour. Ian Hargraves reported that: “Richardson had been hoping to move to Newcastle, his home town club, but their manager Ian McFaul has now lost interest. Everton's Kevin Richardson is shielded by a policeman from fans who have invaded the pitch at the end of the match after the 1-0 win over Southampton in the 1984 FA Cup semi-final at Highbury “Disappointment for the two players can only spell relief for Everton, who would be in a genuine crisis situation if Harper and Richardson were to suddenly depart.”
Top of the charts: The Lady in Red by Chris de Burgh
1976
'So sharp King leads the plucky Irish a dance' was the ECHO headline as new Everton recruit Andy King helped himself to a hat-trick in the 6-0 demolition of Home Farm in a Goodison Park friendly.
Snapped up for a bargain £35,000 from home town club Luton in the final month of the previous campaign, King bagged his treble in the first half as the Blues raced into a 5-0 interval lead.
Everton footballer Andy King with young schoolboy fans, their new hero after his winning goal in the derby match against rivals Liverpool on 28th October 1978. Picture taken November 1978.
Also on target were Mick Lyons, George Telfer and Bob Latchford.
King would become a big favourite among Evertonians during his two spells with the Blues and he achieved iconic status thanks to a spectacular winning goal in the Merseyside Derby in 1978.
Top of the charts: Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John & Kiki Dee

'He's an Everton player' Pep Guardiola tight-lipped on pursuit of Blues defender John Stones
7 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Man City boss wants to sign Blues defender but clubs apart in valuation

Pep Guardiola has refused to be drawn on his pursuit of Everton defender John Stones.
Manchester City want the Blues centre-half but the two clubs are apart in their valuation of the 22-year-old. Everton have told City it will take £50m to buy Stones but the Etihad Stadium side believe he is worth closer to £40m. Guardiola confirmed City’s interest in the player last month but was not willing to say anymore when asked about Stones yesterday. “He’s still a player for Everton,” he said.
“And that question is about the market so I think you should [address it to] the right person.
Everton 0-1 Espanyol player ratings: New boy is man of match but one forward scores only 4
“I know how it works in England, the manager [decides on transfers]. But I’m a trainer, at the club I’m just a trainer. And I give my opinion, my advice to the club, and after that the club decides the best as possible. “He’s an Everton player right now. John Stones tells Everton he wants Manchester City move
“I don’t know what’s going on in the future.”

Everton left fuming at Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku pursuit
7 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Kirkbride
Blues have yet to receive a bid and tell Chelsea they would not welcome one
Everton have been angered by Chelsea’s attempts to unsettle striker Romelu Lukaku.
The Blues have yet to receive any bid for the 23-year-old despite reports of a £57m offer being rejected.
And the ECHO understands that the club would not welcome an approach for their top scorer. Manager Ronald Koeman wants to build his attack around Lukaku but preparations for the new season have been dogged by doubts over the forward’s future. Chelsea are nevertheless confident they can cut a deal with the Blues over Lukaku as new Antonio Conte looks to bolster his forward line. But Everton, who value the Belgium international in the region of £70m, do not want to sell their star striker and Blues chiefs have been left infuriated by Chelsea’s attempts to turn Lukaku’s head so close to the new season. The striker required three stitches to cut on his heel yesterday during the friendly with Espanyol but Koeman expects him to be fit for their Premier League opener against Spurs on Saturday.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman gives injury update after Romelu Lukaku limps off
Chelsea, who open their campaign at home to West Ham, infuriated Everton last season with their public pursuit of John Stones. Everton made it clear the defender was not for sale and kept hold of Stones despite three bids from Stamford Bridge and the player handing in a transfer request.
Despite reports to the contrary, Everton never received a fourth bid from Chelsea last summer.
Everton's Stones behaving like a 'top professional' despite Manchester City interest And the irony that Chelsea are considering reporting Atletico Madrid to FIFA, over their public courting of Diego Costa, has not been lost on Everton officials.

Everton are "too nice" says Ronald Koeman
7 Aug 2016 Liverpool Echo
Phil Kirkbride
New Blues boss calls for more aggression as new season draws near
Ronald Koeman has told Everton to stop being “too nice” and start getting in the opposition’s face.
The Blues finished off their pre-season schedule with a limp 1-0 defeat at home to Espanyol on Saturday.
New signing Idrissa Gueye gave away a penalty but still produced an impressive display on his debut and Koeman says the 26-year-old adds a new dimension to Everton’s midfield. And the Blues boss wants the rest of the players to take a leaf out of Gueye’s book and press with more intent. “He is a different player and he can bring that to the team and that’s the reason why we signed Idrissa for Everton because he is a different midfield player than most of them,” Koeman said. “But also the rest of players need to be more aggressive. It is sometimes too nice. “Football is not what you do on the ball. Football is most of the time, how compact you play, how you run, how you react and sometimes it is too sloppy.
“He can bring that but we have to show the players what we want and that is still difficult because if you play three seasons on your guitar and then one day you need to play piano it is difficult because maybe it is not your quality but it is also a mental question.” Koeman enjoyed success when he employed a 3-5-2 formation against Manchester United last week but says the Blues still have some way to go to be as organised as he would like. “Football is not anymore the game when you have the ball, it is also the game when you don’t have the ball and we need to improve much more than we did so far,” he added.
Ronald Koeman comment: It's strictly business for Everton now

August 2016 - Week 1 (1st - 7th)

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